Toronto police halt online scam in progress, prevent $3M loss after tip from Edmonton police

Toronto police halted an online scam attempt in progress that could have resulted in a $3 million loss, according to a news release. The Edmonton Police Service tipped off Toronto police about a fraud involving $2.9 million, stating that a suspect had contacted a victim posing as a telecommunications company representative. The suspect instructed the victim to install malicious software called UltraViewer, allowing the suspect to remotely access the victim's computer.

Once inside, the suspect claimed there were issues with the computer and viruses that only he could fix. He then urged the victim to access online banking to confirm there was no unauthorized activity. Toronto police officers intervened during the video call, alerting the victim not to transfer any money or authorize transactions.

The suspects ended the call when confronted by the police. The police emphasized the importance of sharing information and acting swiftly to prevent fraud. They cautioned the public about scammers who often impersonate telecommunications providers, bank employees, or technology companies to gain trust. The police advised against installing remote-access software at the direction of an unexpected or unknown caller, never accessing online banking while someone unknown has remote access to one's computer, and verifying the caller's identity independently before taking any action.

If a caller claims to be from a specific company, the police advised ending the call and verifying independently by calling the company at the number listed on the bill or their official website.