Nanaimo RCMP have warned people about three scams that have emerged since the beginning of the year.
The first, on Jan. 20, was the attempted purchase of Mac Pros using fraudulent Flexiticards. Flexiti is a Canadian company that gives its clients the opportunity to buy items online or in-person from retailers who are part of the Flexiti network.
On Wednesday, a Nanaimo resident reported to police that his computer froze and a Microsoft alert showed on the screen.
Then came a warning that someone was trying to steal a significant sum of money from his bank accounts, along with a helpline phone number.
He called and was told he could appease the hackers by buying them gift cards.
The man realized he was being scammed and turned off his computer.
He went to his bank to ensure his accounts were secure and found that no money was taken even though all of the passwords had been changed.
He then had his computer wiped clean by a specialist.
Also on Wednesday, a Nanaimo resident reported receiving a call from someone pretending to be with MasterCard’s investigation unit.
He was told that his card had been compromised and he should buy prepaid credit cards to help catch those responsible.
He did as suggested and supplied the card numbers, expiry dates and security codes to the person on the phone.
The man later called police on the advice of friends, but discovered the prepaid cards had already been used.
