TPS Financial Crimes advises online caution, Specific concerns about two upcoming conferences

TPS Financial Crimes advises online caution, Specific concerns about two upcoming conferences

Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 1:04 PM
Financial Crimes:  416-808-7238 

Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes is often asked by the public to investigate suspicious websites. Not all such sites are fraudulent, but it is important for the public to be careful when asked for personal information or advance payments.

Recently TPS Financial Crimes was asked to look at a conference website advertising the 7th International Conference on Dementia Care & Practice 

The conference is also associated with the 4th International Conference on Brain Disorders and Brain Injury

Both conferences are to take place from Monday, August 14, 2017 to Wednesday, August 16, 2017, at the Holiday Inn Toronto International Airport at 970 Dixon Road.

It is reported that:

- police contacted the the website registration phone number for enquiries 

- when advised it was the police, the spokesperson hung up 

- the other toll-free number listed to register is not a valid phone number

- the hotel has confirmed that there are no such bookings for either conference at their location

- police contacted members of the "organizing committee," listed on the website and were advised that they are not involved in the conference

- the photographs have been taken from other internet sources and the biographies listed are not accurate

At this time, it cannot be confirmed that this website or these conferences are involved in any criminal activity however, police feel it necessary to educate the public about potential sources of online fraudulent behaviour.

When members of the public see advertising, promotions or other such enrollments through the Internet and on social media, they should always exercise extreme caution. 

Police encourage the public to check the sources, or other listed references and do not send any "pre-registration" funds unless completely satisfied all available due diligence has been completed.

If you have any concerns about a suspicious website like this one, contact and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

March is Fraud Prevention month. Follow the conversations on Twitter #Fraudchat and #DontBFooled.

Please download the Toronto Police Service Mobile App for iOS or Android.

For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.

Constable Jenifferjit Sidhu, Corporate Communications, for Detective Gail Regan, Financial Crimes Unit

There are no files attached to this release.