**** RCMP Media Release

Nova Scotia RCMP seeing​ many reports of​ online scams

Nova Scotia RCMP​ has​ recently​ received many​ reports of online scams and wants to help the public protect themselves.

Some of the scams involve​ fraudsters meeting victims online and asking for money. Often, scammers spend time communicating with the victim and establishing a bond before​ asking for bitcoin and/or gift cards.

Another​ scam involves fraudsters posting an ad for an item online and asking for a deposit or down-payment before the item is picked up.​ Once money is received, the fraudster​ removes the ad and stops communicating with the victim.

Police are reminding the public to protect themselves against frauds in the following ways:

• ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Do not send money, gift cards, Bitcoin or anything else of value to someone you’ve never met in-person.
• ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Before sending money to an online seller, make sure you see the item in-person. It is risky to put a deposit or down-payment on something you have never seen.
• ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​If you have a feeling that something is not​ right, it is best to trust your gut and stop communicating with that person.

Scammers can be very persistent and convincing. Being defrauded is never the victim’s fault. If you have been defrauded, you are not alone. Please report it to your local police.​

If you​ encounter a​ scam,​ please report it to the​ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at​ 1-888-495-8501​ or online at: http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm.