The Comox Valley Royal Canadian Mounted Police is reminding you to be vigilant when handing out your personal information.
Police are receiving several reports of a popular cell phone scam.
It typically involves SIM card swapping and/or phone number porting which allows scammers access to valuable personal information.
The scammer impersonates the victim by accessing their mobile account.
They’ll then start making changes to the account, as well as make changes to other accounts associated with the phone.
Const. Monika Terragni, says the fraud has resulted in thousands of dollars being lost in the valley.
“In addition to the financial loss, victims are spending countless hours getting their accounts back in order” she added.
Police say that to avoid becoming a victim, don’t answer text messages, click on links, or answer emails asking for personal information.
If any of the emails or text messages are about porting your phone number or if you lose service on your device, contact your service provider immediately by calling them directly.
For more information, please visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by clicking here.
