OPP warning public about bank investigator fraud
By West Northumberland Independent staff
OPP is urging residents to be vigilant against bank investigator fraud and to be cautious about unsolicited telephone calls from individuals claiming to be from banks or law enforcement agencies.
Bank investigator fraud involves criminals impersonating representatives from financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, credit reporting bureaus, and online retailers in an effort to access to victims’ bank accounts and steal their money, explained OPP.
Victims may receive unsolicited telephone calls from people claiming to represent a financial institution. The caller then states that suspicious activity has been detected with the person’s account following recent purchases at local businesses and claims “an urgent investigation is underway.”
“In a recent variation of this fraud, victims are directed to attend their financial institution and withdraw funds,” said OPP. “They are then instructed to purchase gift cards from local retailers while remaining on the phone with the caller, who continues to impersonate a bank employee.”
Once the gift cards have been purchased, victims are persuaded to provide the gift card numbers and redemption codes, allowing the fraudsters to immediately access and drain the funds. In some instances, victims are directed to deposit money into cryptocurrency ATMs and transfer money directly to the criminals, OPP noted.
In 2025, Canadians reported losses exceeding $28 million to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) due to bank investigator fraud.
The OPP encourages people to take the following precautions:
Do not trust caller ID. Fraudsters can spoof phone numbers to make calls appear legitimate.
If someone claims to be from your financial institution, hang up and contact your bank directly using the telephone number on the back of your bank card or through the institution’s official website.
Credit reporting agencies do not make unsolicited calls regarding account security concerns.
Banks, government agencies, and police will never threaten arrest or demand immediate action over the telephone.
Never provide remote access to your computer, tablet or mobile device to an unsolicited caller.
Police and financial institutions will never send someone to your home to collect bank cards, cash, gift cards, or other valuables.
Never purchase gift cards or send cryptocurrency as part of a financial institution or law enforcement investigation.
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or cybercrime, report it to OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and the CAFC through its online reporting system or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
Unexpected bank calls always make me cautious, especially when someone immediately asks for account details or verification codes. My aunt received a suspicious call once from someone claiming to investigate activity on her card, so we ended the conversation and looked up contact information ourselves. Since she banks with Chase, we saved https://chase-bank.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html with her other banking contacts for reference. I also helped her organize important numbers in one notebook instead of relying on incoming callers. Taking a few minutes to verify who is contacting you feels like a simple habit that can make financial communication much easier to handle safely.