Two different online scams have prompted Huron County OPP to once again warn the public about scams on the internet.
On September 16, police were contacted about an online fraud in South Huron where a 48-year-old victim lost $49,000 U.S. between April 2025 and September 2025.
The victim alleges they met a suspect on a popular online communication app, and the suspect convinced the victim to send money for investments in gold. After sending a large sum, the victim says they were threatened that if they didn't send more, they'd be sent to jail, and the victim realized they'd been scammed.
Additionally, on August 30, police were told that a 55-year-old victim from Central Huron lost $130,000 in an internet investment scam between June 2025 and August 2025.
The victim explained that they responded to an investment ad on a popular communication app, and they believed their money was being invested into cryptocurrency and the stock market. When more money was demanded, the victim suspected they were being scammed.
Police are warning everyone to be vigilant online. Some tips to protect yourself include:
Don't give out your personal information (name, address, DOB, SIN, banking credentials).
Don't accept friend requests from people you do not know.
Don't invest your money in platforms provided by people you don't know.
Be careful who you share images with. Suspects will often use explicit pictures to extort victims into sending more money.
Protect your online accounts.
Get more than one quote for home repair work and never feel pressured.
Never send money to someone you haven't met.
Don't respond to text messages from phone numbers you do not recognize.
Learn more tips and tricks for protecting yourself.
If you fall victim to a fraud or know someone who has, contact your local police service to report the crime and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at 1-888-495-8501 or online on the Fraud Reporting System (FRS), even if a financial loss did not occur.
