Barrie enterprise loses Bitcoin to utilities telephone rip-off, says Barrie Police Service

A variation on a standard telephone rip-off appears to have native companies in its crosshairs. 

The Barrie Police Service says it has obtained stories from companies within the metropolis that say they’ve been focused by fraudsters claiming to be from the hydro firm Alectra Utilities.

The callers demand fee from the enterprise and threaten to disconnect hydro service throughout the hour if the cash shouldn’t be paid. The police service says this rip-off has been profitable in some instances, with Bitcoin altering arms between enterprise and rip-off artist.

“Investigators remind everybody that if you happen to obtain a name claiming you owe cash, to contact your utility or different service supplier instantly at their identified quantity, which may often be discovered in your most up-to-date invoice,” reads an announcement from the Barrie Police Service. “By no means pay any utility firm with Bitcoin or different cryptocurrencies, as this isn’t a standard follow.”

Police level on the market are a number of methods to acknowledge a telephone rip-off. That features a false sense of urgency, inquiries about private info, or guarantees of one thing that sounds too good to be true.

For extra info on this rip-off and others prefer it, go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre web site.

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