A new scam has surfaced in Renfrew County.
Upper Ottawa OPP is warning businesses and their employees of a “Head Office” scam. The scammer calls a business and claims to be from the company’s head or corporate office. They may also say they know the business owner and requests money from the employee. Scammers then give various reasons for their call, including payment for an important shipment of goods. The employee is pressured to pay with either business or personal funds, or the business will incur heavy fines. OPP says that two businesses have fallen to this scam so far in the Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment area.
Police say that you can protect yourself by being aware of unsolicited calls presenting an urgent situation. They also say educating employees at every level about unsolicited calls and give authority to only a few members of the staff to approve purchases and bill payments. They also say to make sure employees know how to verify requests for money before making payment.