Police are advising people to be wary of callers asking for payments after two reports of false NS Power calls in Bridgewater.
Lunenburg District RCMP says on Friday and Saturday, police received two reports of suspicious callers posing as NSP employees stating the customer recently had their meter changed, or needed it to be changed immediately.
Police say the callers would demand immediate payment in the form of gift cards, and give the victims a 1-800 number to call and make payments.
One victim provided over $1,000 of gift cards before calling the police. Another was asked to provide over $1,000 in gift cards, but hung up.
“Anyone who calls or emails you requesting payment in gift cards or crypto-currency is a scam,” says
Cpl. Wayne Ross of Nova Scotia RCMP Financial Crime Section. “Never provide them personal or financial information.”
NSP says they do not engage customers over the phone for payments, and over-the-phone payments can only be made by calling into their customer service department. They also don’t accept gift cards as payment.
RCMP asks anyone who may be a victim of fraudulent calls, or who has received these calls to report them to their local police department.
