Police Warn of Phishing Scam

​The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) would like to warn residents about a fraudulent email circulating the community. Over the past week, the HRPS received more than 30 calls concerning the same email. In this email, a current or previous password used by the victim is provided as proof that the sender has access to the victim's computer. A demand is then made for bitcoin with the threat of an explicit video of the victim being released. This is a phishing scam. The fraudsters do not have access to your computer. The passwords were obtained from a previous data breach, likely of a legitimate business that had this information. The HRPS recommends people who receive the email delete it without replying. If you have fallen victim to this scam and provided money or bitcoin (and reside in the Halton region) you can contact our Fraud Intake Office at 905-465-8741. Protect your computer Watch out for urgent-looking messages that pop up while you're browsing online. Don't click on them or call the number they provide. No legitimate company will call and claim your computer is infected with a virus. Some websites, such as music, game, movie, and adult sites, may try to install viruses or malware without your knowledge. Watch out for emails with spelling and formatting errors, and be wary of clicking on any attachments or links. They may contain viruses or spyware. Make sure you have anti-virus software installed and keep your operating system up to date. For further information on this and other types of scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website at www.antifraudcentre.ca