A Newmarket address was used in a recent scam that’s on the radar of the South Simcoe Police Service.
The victim who lives in Bradford responded to an ad for a dog on Facebook. They e-transferred the suspects money, and went to go pick up the pet at an undisclosed Newmarket address, according to police.
When there was no dog at the location, they realized the Facebook ad had been a fake and contacted police to warn others about the scam.
It is one of two recent scams that the South Simcoe police are telling residents to watch out for.
In another case, an Innisfil resident received a phone call from a suspect who posed as a utility company and claimed the victim was behind in payments.
They were told to bring cash to a gas station in Barrie, and if they didn’t, the suspects threatened to show up at the victim's house and disconnect the power.
In this case, the victim didn’t fall for the scam but again wanted other residents to be aware of it.
“These are two good examples of how neighbours can help neighbours. Please report scams to police to prevent others from becoming victims,” South Simcoe Police said in a statement.
They said residents should be cautious if they receive a call from someone claiming to be from a utility company. They suggest hanging up and calling the company back to confirm it was legitimate.
When buying a pet, police advise residents to never pay in advance, request to see the pet in person or on a video call, or adopt a pet from a local shelter.
