The Brantford Police Service is urging residents to be on guard after a local woman fell victim to a credit card fraud scheme that blended deceptive emails with unauthorized purchases made in another province.
Police say the victim received a string of misleading emails designed to distract her from legitimate fraud alerts. While she was diverted, her card was used to buy a carton of milk, a video game console and a laptop.
Fraud investigators note that criminals often begin with small, seemingly innocuous purchases to test whether a stolen card remains active, before escalating to higher-value transactions.
In this case, the emails appeared intended to disguise the genuine alerts and delay detection.
“Fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to deceive the public,” said Robin Matthews-Osmond, Corporate Communications Manager for Brantford Police.
“Taking proactive steps to monitor your accounts and secure your information is one of the best ways to protect yourself.”
The Brantford Police Service advises residents to:
- Monitor credit card and bank statements closely for suspicious activity.
- Report irregularities immediately to financial institutions.
- Update passwords frequently and use strong, unique logins.
- Consider using credit monitoring services such as Equifax.
How to Report
Anyone who believes they have been targeted by fraud is asked to call the BPS non-emergency line at 519-756-7050, notify their bank, and report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
Police say the latest case is a reminder that vigilance remains the best defence against financial crime.
