Members of the Winkler Police Service were able to intervene in a few recent scam attempts and prevent any further damage to the victims.
In the first incident, staff at a store in Winkler reported that an elderly man was trying to purchase a large amount of high-value gift cards and they believed he was being scammed.
Police say, initially, the man didn't want to tell them what the gift cards were for, but eventually admitted that an online pop-up appeared on his computer screen saying his computer was locked and that he needed to call the provided support number. The scammers then advised him that they placed content on his computer and removed a large sum of money from his bank account and, in order to clear the computer, he needed to provide them with the gift cards.
After checking with his bank, on the advice of the officers, the man confirmed that no money had been withdrawn from his account and, as a result, did not purchase the gift cards.
Additionally, a woman reported to police that a man she'd been speaking with online demanded she send money, or he would send explicit photos of her to her family and friends. According to police, she originally did send him a sum of money and now, he was demanding more.
Officers advised the woman to block him and to not send any more money.
And another woman recently reported to Winkler police that she was scammed after e-transferring money to secure an item she wished to purchase from Facebook Marketplace. afterward, the seller requested additional money to secure the purchase, at which time the woman reported the scam to her financial institution.
With files from Winkler Police Service