A scam involving a fake hospital worker in Niagara Region has triggered a warning from officials, who say the fraudster has tried steal the personal information of at least one person in the area.
In a news release(opens in a new tab), Niagara Health System (NHS) said the scammer called an individual while pretending to be an employee and asked for their name, social insurance number (SIN), date of birth and address.
“Niagara Health does not call patients to confirm that type of information and would NEVER ask a patient for their SIN number over the phone,” the hospital network said.
In an email to CTV News Toronto, The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) said they received a call about the scam just after noon on Nov. 24.
At that time, investigators said, a male received a call from a person posing as an employee of the hospital who asked for personal information.
“The public is asked to be cautious and wary of anyone asking for personal information over the phone,” police said.
The hospital network said the only time it will ever ask for a SIN is in cases involving the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board and when that happens, the information is processed in person.
If you receive a call you think is suspicious, Niagara police say you should:
Trust your intuition
Always verify who is calling
Don’t be pressured. Stop. Take some time to process what you have been told, to see if it makes sense
Ask a trusted friend or family member for their opinion
If you’re in doubt, call your local police service
Officials are asking anyone who receives a similar call to contact police at 905-688-4111.
