Windsor police are warning residents about the latest phone scam where the fraudsters claim to be working for a phone company. Police say the scammers impersonate cellphone company representatives and trick victims into ordering mobile phones that are ultimately diverted to the fraudsters. Since July, Windsor police have received two reports involving this scam. In both cases, victims were contacted by someone claiming to be a Rogers agent. The callers told the victims they would receive credit for a new cellphone and instructed them to order the device online. After the phone was delivered, the victims were directed to contact the “agent” to activate it. The caller then falsely claimed that the wrong phone had been sent and instructed the victims to return the device using a shipping label or return form provided by the fraudster. The victims later discovered they had been charged for a phone they did not intend to purchase, while the device had been sent to an address controlled by the scammer. “These fraudsters are using the names of trusted cellphone companies to make their scams appear legitimate,” said Sergeant Robert Durling of the Windsor Police Financial Crimes Unit. “If something doesn’t seem right, end the call and verify the information directly with the company before taking any action.” Tips from police: Anyone who believes they may have been targeted should contact their wireless provider immediately to secure their account and report unauthorized transactions. Victims should also preserve all related communications, shipping labels, order confirmations, and receipts. Anyone with information is asked to call the Windsor Police Financial Crimes at (519) 255-6700, ext. 4330.
