The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of an ongoing scam being reported to police with increasing frequency.
It is reported that residents of the Greater Toronto Area are receiving phone calls or text messages from American phone numbers with the area codes of 470 and 404; graphic violent images are then texted to the victim; a demand for money is made, and if not paid the sender is alleging violence will come to the victim
We would like to advise the public that this is a known scam in a bid to extort money from the receiver.
Below are some tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud: be aware of this fraud scam should you receive one of these messages or phone calls, report the incident to police immediately; do not pay any money.
If your information has been compromised in a data breach previously, we recommend changing the passwords to any accounts.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2222, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.
