Caledon OPP warning locals to beware as charity scam does the rounds

May 17, 2018 · 0 Comments

On Wednesday, May 9, 2018 police received a phone call from a concerned business owner in Bolton regarding a charity scam. The caller advised police that they received a phone call from an individual claiming to be with Caledon Fire and Emergency Services. This individual was requesting donations for an alleged charity event being held by the fire department.

Caledon OPP would like to warn residents that Caledon Fire and Emergency Services or the Caledon OPP are not contacting residents by phone in search of donations. Please do not provide any donations to anyone making such a request.

The Competition Bureau Canada reminds us of the following ways to protect yourself:

• Remember – if you have any doubts at all about the person asking for money, do not give them any cash, credit card or bank account details.

• Caution – never give out personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source.

• Think – if in doubt, approach an aid organization directly to make a donation or offer support.

• Investigate – search the Canada Revenue Agency database to check that the charity that has approached you is genuine.

• Ask yourself – how and to whom would I like to make a contribution?

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre states that “it’s not always easy to spot a scam, and new ones are invented every day. If you suspect that you may be a target of fraud, or if you have already sent funds, don’t be embarrassed – you’re not alone. If you want to report a fraud, or if you need more information, contact The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.” You can report a fraud by calling 1-888-495-8501 or online at:

https://www.services.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/?ipeReferer=CAFCFRS

The Ontario Provincial Police is committed to public safety, delivering proactive and innovative policing in partnership with our communities.

OPP hours changing
Members from the Caledon Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to notify you that effective Monday, May 28, 2018 our administrative hours of operation will change to 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday to Friday to be in line with the Ontario Public Service – core business hours.

Assistance related to administrative matters could be for: criminal record checks, requests for motor vehicle collision reports, reporting a non-emergency collision, civilian fingerprinting, etc.

Please keep in mind we are operational for all service related calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In case of an emergency, call 9! -1-1. For all non-emergency related calls for service, call 1-888-310-1122.

April’s amnesty results
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and its municipal law enforcement partners have received and rendered safe hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition during a month-long Gun Amnesty.
During April 2018, the OPP:

• Received 592 gun amnesty calls for service, 86 of which (or 14.5 per cent) were received through the online reporting option on the OPP website;

• Recovered 689 items through appointments made with OPP officers including 267 rifles, 156 shotguns, 113 prohibited firearms, and 62 other guns such as replica and vintage weapons; and,

• Collected 12,615 pieces of ammunition.

All Ontario police services participated in the month-long initiative. During that time, a total of 1,503 guns were voluntarily surrendered in non-OPP jurisdictions.

A majority of firearms that have been surrendered to police will be destroyed, but a number of guns will be retained for historical, educational or training purposes. Although the gun amnesty has officially ended, police will continue to accept submissions from the public. Interested gun owners may call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or their local police service’s non-emergency lines to arrange for officers to attend and safely retrieve the weapons.

Police continue to encourage members of the public to turn in unwanted weapons despite the conclusion of this initiative. Police retain the ability to exercise discretion (amnesty) regarding weapons related charges at all times, not just during this month long event. The public is reminded that no one should ever deliver guns, ammunition or military ordinance directly to police facilities.

For more information on the Canadian Firearms Program visit the RCMP’s national website at http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/index-eng.htm. There you will find some general safety information, as well as information on Inherited Firearms.