On January 15 at approximately 2:45 pm., Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service (WTPS) responded to a complaint of violent text messages. The messages included images of dead bodies and body parts. The investigation is ongoing with the assistance of the Manitoulin detachment crime unit of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). The Manitoulin OPP is warning members of the public that this is only one of many scams and frauds that are currently prevalent.
“The OPP wants the public to be aware that the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) has issued an alert for a violent text message extortion scam. The message threatens that if payment is not sent, you and your family may be targeted and harmed. Like other extortion scams, fraudsters are attempting to scare victims into sending funds,” a release explains.
Provincial Constable Community Safety Officer John Hill of the Manitoulin OPP told The Expositor this incident involved, “an individual (who had been targeted). This case is similar to other cases in Ontario and Northern Ontario. The CAFC drew this to our attention that this scam has been circulating since July 2022. In this case the nature of the text and the nature of the photos is concerning.”
The OPP provided a list of warning signs and how you can protect yourself from a similar situation. “If you receive a violent message, report it to the OPP immediately; remember that fraudsters use high-pressure intimidation tactics to try to steal…
