The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says officers are assisting in an investigation of an ongoing cryptocurrency scam involving two websites.
The two websites are:
www[.]How2Crypto[.]com
www[.]How2Crypto[.]net
Those who might have engaged with these websites are asked to call police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
“Fraudsters want your cryptocurrency,” the OPP said in a post on X Wednesday.
Police are also asking people to do their research before sending cryptocurrency, as once it’s sent, “it’s gone.”
The OPP adds government agencies do not accept cryptocurrencies.
The Better Business Bureau shared some tips to avoid falling victim to a scam in March:
- Avoid making quick purchases while browsing social media.
- Be very cautious engaging with someone you’ve met online.
- Don’t click on links or open attachments in unsolicited email or text messages.
- Don’t believe everything you see or read.
- Take precautions when making online purchases.
- Know the general red flags of scams.
- Never disclose personally identifiable information to an unsolicited contact.
- Take your time. Don’t be pressured to act immediately.
- Use secure, traceable transactions when making payments for goods, services, taxes, and debts.
- Whenever possible, work with businesses that have proper identification, licensing, and insurance.
Here are some common red flags to watch out for:
- The offer sounds too good to be true.
- The person insists you must act immediately, or the deal ends soon.
- Somebody asks you to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM or sends a check and asks you to deposit it and then transfer the funds.
- They require an up-front payment before a service is provided.
With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Ted Raymond