Toronto police are warning the public about an ongoing e-transfer scam involving a suspect who approaches victims near malls and other public areas, leaving them duped and out of thousands of dollars – and prompting residents to share their experiences online.
In the reported scam, police say a suspect approaches the victim and asks them to send $10 or $20 through an e-transfer in exchange for cash. The victim then provides their cellphone to the suspect.
With the victim’s banking app open, the suspect enters their own email address and transfers upwards of $3,000 into their account before returning the phone and fleeing the area. It remains unclear how victims are being targeted in the scam.
Toronto police are offering tips to avoid the fraudulent encounter, urging the public to be cautious when using e-transfer services, particularly when dealing with individuals they do not know.
“If you are sending an e-transfer to someone you do not know, always maintain possession of your phone while completing the transfer,” police said in a news release issued Tuesday.
“Never allow strangers to access your banking information on your phone.”
Meanwhile, Torontonians are taking to social media to discuss the scam and warn others, citing close encounters and sharing what they would do if approached by the suspect.
“Whoa 🤦🏾,” one Reddit user said of the scam.
“They’re targeting compassionate people with some sob story about not having enough money to get home to their sick mother, or some other nonsense,” another user commented.
“I think I was approached by someone trying exactly this on Monday at Bay and Dundas. Starting with some sob story about his brother and how he needed money for the GO. I suspected that it would be some sort of scam and was only half listening at that point,” one Redditor said, about their experience with a close encounter.
“I’m not letting some stranger (touch) my phone, let alone look at my banking app,” another user added.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police at 416-808-3300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or online at www.222tips.com.
Additionally, victims of fraud may report the incident to local police, as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre using their online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501.
