'We are hopeful this is not a purposeful or malicious tactic': Lake Cowichan RCMP say scammers spoofing detachment phone line
A sign for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in English and French along with the crest of the RCMP. (Shutterstock)
Victoria -
A Vancouver Island RCMP detachment is investigating reports that someone is using the police station’s non-emergency phone number to make unsolicited calls to the public.
The so-called phone-spoofing scam is disguising the caller’s identity as that of the Lake Cowichan RCMP, prompting those who receive the call to answer, believing it is the police.
A spokesperson says the calls have been directly affecting the public’s ability to reach the detachment for the past 24 hours.
Sgt. Lita Watson said police would not call and immediately hang up on residents, which appears to be happening with the phone-spoofing scam. She says police would leave a message if they were really trying to reach someone.
“We are hopeful this is not a purposeful or malicious tactic being used to flood our phone lines and tie up our resources,” Watson said in a statement Wednesday.
The detachment has launched a public mischief investigation and is actively investigating.
Police ask anyone who receives a call from 250-749-6668, not to return the call if no voicemail message is left.
Anyone who needs to file a police report and is unable to reach the Lake Cowichan RCMP by phone is asked to visit the Lake Cowichan detachment in person.
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