A Salmon Arm resident targeted by scammers wound up depositing $8,000 through Bitcoin machines.
On Thursday, July 11, RCMP were contacted by the resident who explained their computer had suddenly locked up and a number to call appeared on the screen. Following instructions on the screen, the resident withdrew $8,000 from their bank account and deposited the money through different Bitcoin machines.
"It was unclear what exactly the instructions were that the woman followed," said Const. Andrew Hodges in a media release. "The woman had already advised her bank, and took her computer to a local service shop. There was not enough information to proceed with an investigation."
Salmon Arm RCMP advise using extreme caution when using a personal computer, or other electronic devices that have sudden messages or warnings pop up with directions to follow.
To learn more about the red flags to watch for in the most common types of scams, visit sites such as the BC RCMP Frauds and Scams, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, or the Competition Bureau.
