Barrie Police vehicle
The Barrie Police Service is urging residents to act quickly if they believe they’ve been targeted by fraud, as scams continue to impact individuals and businesses in the community.
Police say fraud can take many forms, including phone calls, emails, text messages, social media messages, and online ads, with common schemes involving investment scams, romance scams, marketplace fraud, and impersonation of banks or government agencies. In many cases, scammers create urgency and request payment through unusual methods such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, or e-transfers.
With Fraud Prevention Month coming to a close this week, officers are reminding victims to immediately stop communication with the suspected fraudster, contact their financial institution to secure accounts or attempt to reverse transactions, and change passwords for any potentially compromised accounts.
Residents are also encouraged to report incidents to police, even if no money was lost, as well as to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to help investigators track patterns and disrupt criminal activity.
Police emphasize that legitimate organizations will never demand urgent payment or threaten arrest through unsolicited messages, and stress that anyone can become a victim. Reporting fraud, they say, not only supports investigations but helps protect others in the community.
