Huron County OPP is warning residents against parking and ticket scams landing in people"s email inboxes.
A 63-year-old Morris Turnberry resident recently received an email from "Impark Toronto," requesting a $40 payment for a parking offence.
The OPP say the invoice was basically a phishing email designed to trick the recipient into sending an electronic transfer of funds to the scammers.
The man realized it was likely a scam and called the police.
Police say residents have received similar phishing scams that appear to be from government sources or using the name and logo of legitimate businesses.
How to Protect Yourself
· Beware of unsolicited emails from individuals or organizations prompting you to click on an attachment or link. Do not click on the links.
· Any unexpected email correspondence regarding parking enforcement should be treated as fake.
· Watch for spelling and formatting errors.
· Check the embedded hyperlink in the suspicious email by hovering your mouse over the link to verify the address.
· Go with your gut. If an email seems fishy, it probably is. Delete the email.
How to report fraudulent emails
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll-free number is 1-888-495-8501, the Ontario Provincial Police non-emergency number is 1-888-310-1122 or at www.opp.ca/reporting.
