Mounties in Prince George are advising the public not to fall victim to a scam that is currently circulating, known as the "hitman" or "assassin" scam.
Scammers are pretending to be hitmen in a new scheme reported in Prince George, the RCMP advises.
Police say people are receiving threatening messages by email or text, with the sender claiming to have been hired to kill them. Police say the "hitman" may claim to have been hired by another person who was "betrayed" by the victim. The scammer then offers to cancel the assassination if the person transfers large sums in cryptocurrency.
"While these messages can be alarming, it’s important to remember that this is a type of fraud or scam designed to create a sense of urgency and alarm," states Corp. Jennifer Cooper, media relation officer for the RCMP in Prince George. "It is important to remember that these messages are a type of extortion and to never send any money, as there is no guarantee that sending money once will stop the messages and demands."
Police say the scammers use information about you that they've found online as part of the fraud, and advise changing online privacy settings to protect your information.
