Police warn of fraudulent calls claiming to be CPS officers

The Calgary Police Service is warning Calgarians of a reemerging scam involving individuals who are claiming to be police officers over the phone.

We have recently received several complaints from Calgarians who have reported receiving a phone call from an unknown individual claiming to be a Calgary Police Service officer, who then asks for financial information or tries to convince the caller to send money.

The calls are believed to appear on caller ID as a Calgary Police Service phone number, however, the calls are not originating from within the organization. If you receive this type of phone call hangup immediately.

The Calgary Police Service will never call and ask citizens to provide financial information or transfer money.

Citizens are reminded of the following tips to protect themselves from financial scams:

• Be suspicious of unexpected and unusual phone calls, especially ones demanding some form of urgent action, financial or otherwise.
• Do not share personal details, financial information or send money to the unknown caller.
• Our officers will never ask you to transfer money as part of an investigation or suggest transactions as a way to guard your finances.
• If you are suspicious of a call regarding your finances, contact your bank or financial institution.
• If you would like to confirm the identity of a Calgary Police Service officer, call the non-emergency line at 403-266-1234, to verify the individual.

Anyone who has suffered a financial loss or who has had their personal information compromised because of fraud can report it to the Calgary Police Service by contacting the non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers using any of the following methods:

TALK: 1-800-222-8477
TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
APP: P3 Tips

If you have received a fraudulent text message, email or phone call but have not sustained a financial loss, please report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.