Toronto Police Warn of Scam Involving Fake Cellphone Offers Leading to Unintentional Purchases
Toronto Police have issued a warning following reports of a fraudulent scheme that tricks individuals into unwittingly purchasing expensive cellphones, smartwatches, and tablets for scammers. Multiple victims have come forward with similar stories of falling prey to this elaborate scam between October 2021 and July 2026.
According to investigators, the scam begins with the victim receiving a call from someone posing as a representative from a reputable cellphone provider. These scammers possess the victim’s actual account and billing details, enhancing the credibility of their ruse.
The fraudulent caller lures victims by offering heavily discounted or free electronic devices, such as cellphones, smartwatches, or tablets, under the guise of an exclusive offer for loyal customers. To further deceive the victim, the caller guides them through placing an order on the official website or app of the cellphone provider.
Once the purchased item is delivered to the victim’s residence, the true nature of the scam is revealed. The impostor then contacts the victim, claiming an error in the delivery, such as sending the wrong model. Subsequently, the victim is instructed to return the item using a provided pre-paid shipping label, supposedly to facilitate the replacement process.
However, the address on the shipping label is typically unrelated to the scammer, leading to the parcel being collected by the fraudster without the victim’s knowledge. In some instances, the scammer may engage a legitimate courier service to retrieve the item.
As a result, victims inadvertently end up financially responsible for the fraudulent purchase, believing it to be a legitimate transaction made through the official platform of the cellphone provider.