Fraud warning: Don’t trust caller ID, York Regional Police tells citizens

Don’t trust caller ID.

That’s the message being imparted by York Regional Police after reports of fraudulent calls that, on the surface, appear to be from legitimate sources.

Investigators say scammers are using software programs to alter the caller ID that’s displayed to make it appear that the calls are coming from the Newmarket Courts or the Crown Attorney’s office.

The practice is known as number spoofing, and police say it’s on the rise.

“In recent incidents, fraudsters have contacted victims by telephone and identified themselves as a Crown Attorney or judge from the Newmarket Courts,” police said in a release.

“The fraudster tells the victim to provide a monetary payment or financial information to avoid their assets from being seized or frozen.”

York Regional Police remind citizens that neither the courts nor the Crown Attorney’s office would ever demand money or detailed personal information in that matter.

“Any call or email of this nature should be considered a scam,” investigators warn.

“In most cases, they pose as government agencies, police services, the Canada Revenue Agency and other legal entities. Citizens are encouraged to confirm who they are speaking to through their own research and never trust the information displayed on an incoming call.”