Alleged fraudsters arrested in Montreal for 'smishing' scheme
Montreal police say they have arrested two alleged fraudsters who were operating an automated call centre inside a downtown residential condo.
The pair, a man and woman both 24 years old, allegedly sent fraudulent text messages to thousands of people in order to obtain personal information. The technique is known as SMS phishing, or ‘smishing.’
Police seized 50 cell phones, 40 SIM cards, seven laptop computers and several routers. All of the seized material is currently undergoing a complete expertise, after which charges will be laid, police said in a news release Thursday.
The alleged fraudsters targeted customers of large companies by pretending to be them over text messages.
The suspects allegedly succeeded in obtaining numerous pieces of personal information from their victims and then used this information to commit fraudulent transactions totalling over $170,000.
The investigation is ongoing to determine the scope of the crime, police said.
Police are reminding people to be vigilant about fraud schemes and offered the following prevention tips:
- Be vigilant when you do not recognize the phone number in a text message
- Never click on a link received via text message before validating it with your contact
- Do not call back a number that appears on a text message when you do not recognize the number
- Do not respond to a text message asking for financial or personal information
- Ignore any text message that says you have won a prize or contest
- Ignore any text message that asks for a quick response
- If you receive a text message from a company you do business with, contact their customer service department without responding to the text message
To report a phishing text, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501). In case of an emergency, call 911.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
Hot history: Tree rings show that last northern summer was the warmest since year 1
The broiling summer of 2023 was the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere in more than 2,000 years, a new study found.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.