If you receive a text message supposedly from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), think twice before acting on it.
That’s the message from Southern Georgian Bay OPP, which is warning local residents about a scam.
The phishing scam sees unsolicited RCMP “delivery notices” sent via text message, informing recipients the RCMP was unable to deliver court documents and asking them to reschedule to avoid missing a court date. The messages include a link to an unofficial, fraudulent RCMP website to “reschedule the delivery.”
The RCMP does not issue notices by text message, police said, noting the official RCMP website is rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
“If you receive such a message, do not click the links. Delete the text immediately,” police said in a news release. “If you clicked on a link or provided personal details via the fraudulent website, contact your financial institution immediately and report it to your local police service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.”
Examples of the phishing text message scam can be found on the RCMP website.
Anyone who has been a victim of fraud or cybercrime can report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by visiting its website or calling 1-888-495-8501.
