KENORA, Ont. – Ontario Provincial Police are warning of a fraud scheme targeting painters, after a Kenora business was approached by suspected scammers.
The scheme has been reported in southern Ontario and beyond, said Const. Jason Canfield of the Kenora OPP detachment. The report of a suspicious call from a Kenora painter is the first known instance of the scam attempt in our region.
Police say the fraudsters call painters to request a quote for services, before sending a cheque much larger than the deposit requested. They then request the painter wire back the overpaid amount.
Canfield says no money was exchanged in the Kenora instance, but the owner reported the suspicious call to local OPP. Police are likely unable to trace the call, he said, as fraudsters are able to hide that information.
“There’s probably nothing we can do at this point locally” to further investigate the matter, he said.
Instead, Kenora OPP took the step of warning local businesses and the public about the scheme. They ask anyone receiving suspicious calls to contact police, and advise those seeking more information to refer to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501, or their website.