Saskatchewan RCMP is warning residents about a fake email impersonating police that threatens recipients with arrest over a bogus cybercrime investigation.
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The email falsely claims to come from the RCMP and tells the recipient they are the subject of a cybercrime probe, according to Saskatchewan RCMP. It threatens arrest unless the person contacts investigators at a Gmail address, ca********@***il.com.
Saskatchewan Mounties confirmed the email is a scam and not a legitimate RCMP communication.
How the scam email works
The message is designed to pressure recipients into responding quickly out of fear of arrest, a tactic common to police-impersonation scams. Mounties say legitimate RCMP investigations are not conducted through unsolicited emails demanding contact with a personal or free email account.
The warning comes as Saskatchewan and Alberta residents continue to be targeted by a range of impersonation schemes, including a recent scam caller posing as police in the Battlefords and a traffic ticket text message scam reported earlier this year.
What to do if you receive the email
Police say anyone who receives a suspicious email of this kind should not reply to the sender, click any links, send personal information or send money or gift cards.
Residents who are unsure whether an email claiming to be from the RCMP is genuine should contact their local detachment to verify it. Anyone who believes they have already been defrauded is also asked to contact police directly.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre outlines this and other police-related scams on its website and accepts reports from the public. Suspected fraudulent emails can be reported by calling the centre toll-free at 1-888-495-8501 or online at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
Part of a wider pattern of impersonation scams
The fake cybercrime email follows similar impersonation attempts reported across the region in recent months, including a Bitcoin ATM government impersonation scam flagged by Lloydminster RCMP. Police continue to urge residents on both sides of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border to verify any unexpected contact claiming to be from law enforcement or government agencies before responding.
Residents are encouraged to report scam attempts even if no money was lost, as the information helps investigators track emerging fraud patterns.
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