On Aug. 8, Greater Sudbury Police received a complaint of fraud from a resident of Val Caron regarding a fraudulent Bell Canada bill.
The resident received a paper bill in the mail from Bell Canada for approximately $200 that appeared legitimate and provided payee information in order for payment to be made.
The resident paid the bill via online banking, where the payment was accepted. Furthermore, an additional, legitimate bill was later received by the homeowner for approximately the same amount.
Bell Canada was contacted and advised that the first bill was fraudulent. Features of the fraudulent bill that the complainant received were different from an original Bell bill.
A legitimate Bell Account is alphanumeric – containing letters and numbers. The fraudulent Bell bill only had numbers in the account, no letters.
The Greater Sudbury Police would like to inform the public of this fraud tactic. If you receive your bills via mail, always ensure the account numbers match the payee information for your online banking before you pay your bill.
If you have concerns that your bill may be fraudulent, contact the company that issued the bill. If the company confirms that in fact the bill is fraudulent, file a complaint with the Greater Sudbury Police Service.
Everyone must remain vigilant to protect themselves from fraud - no one is immune. Anyone caring for a senior citizen or other vulnerable adults is also encouraged to make them aware of the consequences of being targeted.
For further information, please visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center website at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
