Winnipeg police warn of new phone scam
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City police have received “quite a few reports” about a new phone scam.
In the ruse, a fraudster posing as a bank representative says a credit or debit card has been compromised. They tell the potential victim to cut the card up, except for the portion with a chip in it, and put all the pieces in an envelope for a courier to pick up.
The fraudsters use the card data to steal funds or buy things. They might recreate the card or use information on the chip to create new accounts.
The Winnipeg Police Service’s financial crime unit recommends calling the phone number on the card to determine if it has been compromised, and not to follow courier instructions.
If people really must destroy a card, they should cut through the chip as well as the rest of the card, police said.
More information about fraud is available here.