'They sucked me right in': Retired Windsor firefighter scammed out of thousands
A retired Windsor firefighter is joining Windsor police in warning residents about a gift card scam after falling victim to one this past weekend.
Bill McLeese said everything started when his computer screen froze Saturday, prompting him to call who he thought was technical support.
“They did a good job. They sucked me right in,” the former fire captain said. “And I thought I was smarter than that but they sucked me right in.”
McLeese explained the phoney support call included a fraudulent bank representative, with McLeese sharing personal information he assumed to be secure.
“Everything seemed perfectly fine,” he said.
That was until McLeese learned he was being accused of $8,450 in charges to illegal pornographic websites in Europe, with the only solution involving him buying various gift cards.
McLeese said he went to various stores in Windsor to purchase the equivalent amount required on a variety of cards, terrified of what those charges could mean to him legally.
“I got two great-granddaughters and I got a great-grandson coming in August and I don't need that,” McLeese said. “I need my grandkids and if I'm charged with that, to me with child porn, you're guilty until proven innocent. It's not innocent until proven guilty.”
The 76-year-old told CTV News it wasn’t until that evening his daughter raised suspicion her father fell victim to a scam.
“So I’m out, by the time everything was totaled, it works out to $12,500,” McLeese said. “I'm retired. You know, I mean $12,000, that's a lot of money to me.”
McLeese said he filed a report with Windsor police and was able to recoup $500 after he cancelled a card before it was cashed.
He said he arranged a GoFundMe page to try and recover more.
Meantime, Windsor police said on Wednesday that scammers are finding different ways to communicate with people, noting gift card scams aren’t new, but the ways of convincing people to buy them continue to evolve.
Windsor police Constable Bianca Jackson said its important for people to 'slow down' when dealing with suspicious phone calls in Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)“What the scammer is trying to do is just give you a sense that this is real,” said Constable Bianca Jackson. “Making you believe what they say.”
Jackson said no government agency or bank would request gift card payments warning that should be a big red flag.
“The best tip that I can give is slow down,” Jackson explained. “There is no urgency to any of these phone calls. Slow down, listen to their questions and you know yourself better than anybody. You know whether you owe money to somebody you know, your loved one better than anybody, so slow down, take a phone number and call back if you need to. Call your loved one, get some advice on what they should do.”
Jackson continued, “If you feel like that you do owe money to somebody, call that company. If it's a credit card company that's calling you, call them back. Call them on the number that's on that credit card so you know you're talking directly with your credit card company.”
Police urge those who sell gift cards like cashiers or managers to be on high alert for large amount or quantity requests, especially with senior customers.
“If you find that somebody is purchasing a large amount of gift cards, iTunes gift cards, Amazon gift or any kind of gift card and you feel that this is suspicious, definitely hold up that person up,” Jackson said. “Let them wait a moment and give us a call.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.