Beware of False Job Offers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, February 20, 2018   12:50 pm

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service is informing the public of the resurgence of a popular scam where people are being offered false employment opportunities.

The employment opportunities are offered on job sites, internet ads, unsolicited emails, unsolicited texts, or in the newspapers. On other occasions, people who are posting their résumé online are being offered jobs.

Those who respond to the ads are told that they have received the job and are then sent payment by cheque, e-transfer or other means, which they are then instructed to deposit into their bank account. They are then asked to send a large portion of the money to somewhere else; usually by purchasing pre-paid gift cards or depositing the money into a bank account provided to them by the suspects. Once they send the money on, the bank calls to inform them that the cheque or e-transfer was fraudulent and that their account is overdrawn or frozen.

Sometimes the job might be as a "secret shopper" to test the services of a bank, store, or money transfer service. On other occasions, the victim believes that they are helping the suspect set up a new business in the city.

This is a reminder to the public never to send money to anybody you do not know and trust. You can view tips here.

The Ottawa Police Service Organized Fraud Unit is asking persons who are or have been victims of this scam to contact the Ottawa Police and make a report at 613-236-1222 ext. 7300. The call centre is actively tracking all complaints and forwarding them to our Organized Fraud investigators. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or by downloading the Ottawa Police app.

- 30 -

CONTACT:

Media Relations Section                  

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366