South Simcoe police are warning the public about the latest scam involving a free iPad. A resident reported the scam to police, which started with a phone call where the fraudster claimed to be from Rogers, offering a free iPad as part of a promotion. The scammer then manipulated the person to share their account information so the scammer could order the iPad, according to authorities. Police say an iPad was indeed delivered to the person’s home, but then the scammer told them there was an activation issue with it. The fraudster said they would take the malfunctioning iPad away and replace it with a new one, which wasn’t done. The result was the person not only didn’t get their promised iPad, but money was taken from their account. The person then contacted Rogers directly only to find out the promotion didn’t exist. Protect yourself from fraud Police are alerting the public about red flags when it comes to fraud. They say to be cautious of random calls offering free products or exclusive promotions. Don’t give away any personal, banking or account information. They advise not to allow an unknown caller to deliver or collect a package from your home. Finally, they say to not be pressured but rather take time to contact the business that the caller is claiming to be from to verify the request.
