City warns of new celebrity phone scam
- Robert
- 18 Oct 2018
The Hamilton area has heard some strange crime stories over the last few years. From someone using bacon as a weapon to a person calling 911 over their fast food order being cold, we thought we’d seen it all. Unfortunately this week we’ve stooped to a new low – people are pretending to be celebrities to scam fans for cash.
A Norfolk County man was scammed out of $500 – he thought he was giving his money to Shania Twain, Jimmy Buffet and Garth Brooks.
The victim told police that people claiming to be popular musicians contacted him by phone and through social media. During his conversations with these alleged celebrities, they asked him for money to donate to charity or help fund an event the celebrity supports.
Falling victim to the scam, the man sent a total of $500 through a money transfer service.
While some celebrities do raise money for legitimate causes, it’s incredibly unlikely that one will ever contact you. If you ever receive a phone call like this, be sure to use your critical thinking skills before transferring any cash.
Before you think of sending any money, talk to somebody you trust and do some research. Check online to see if the organization or cause is legitimate; hop on Google and search the person’s name or organization followed by “scam”. Protect yourself online – never send money to somebody you don’t know.
What other telephone scams have you heard of in Hamilton? How do you protect yourself online? Let us know in the comments below.
Money photo courtesy of KMR Photography on Flickr
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