The Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ) is alerting residents to a disturbing new fraud tactic. Criminals are now using the real names and badge numbers of actual police officers to lend credibility to their scams.
How the Scam Operates
According to authorities, the fraudsters contact potential victims by phone, presenting themselves as legitimate law enforcement officials. They use genuine information from serving SPVQ officers to convince targets of their authenticity. This sophisticated approach makes it increasingly difficult for people to distinguish between real police communications and fraudulent attempts.
The Quebec City police force emphasized that this method represents a significant escalation in scam sophistication. By co-opting the identities of real officers, criminals create a false sense of security that makes their demands for money or personal information seem more convincing.
Protecting Yourself from Fraud
Police are advising residents to be extremely cautious of unsolicited calls from anyone claiming to be a police officer. Genuine police services will never demand immediate payment or sensitive personal information over the phone. If you receive such a call, the SPVQ recommends hanging up and contacting their non-emergency line directly to verify the communication's legitimacy.
This warning comes as law enforcement agencies across Canada continue to battle increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. The Quebec City police investigation into these incidents remains active as they work to identify those responsible for this identity misuse.
