The City of Sault Ste. Marie is alerting residents to a surge in scam emails and text messages falsely claiming to be from the municipality and demanding payment for parking tickets. These fraudulent messages often include links or messages meant to pressure recipients to pay immediately.
City officials emphasize that parking violations are not issued via text or email. Legitimate parking tickets are either placed directly on vehicles or mailed to the registered owner. Payments should only be made through official channels, such as in person at City Hall or online via the City Apps portal.
Residents are urged to avoid clicking on links or providing personal or financial information in response to suspicious messages.
This warning comes amid a broader rise in scams across northern Ontario. Police near North Bay have also reported fraudsters impersonating fraud investigators, while the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) warns that scammers are constantly evolving their tactics to exploit unsuspecting individuals.
Jeff Horncastle, a spokesperson for the CAFC in North Bay, said fraudsters are adapting their methods as public awareness grows.
“Fraudsters are always finding new ways. Largely due to, you know, we’re all spreading the message and the awareness messaging, and fraudsters have to adapt due to Canadians, Ontarians, northern Ontarians, and the population in general being more aware of what type of frauds are out there,” he said.
Horncastle also cautioned that as tax season approaches, residents should be on high alert for fake Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) scams, which typically spike in the coming months.
Experts advise anyone who receives a suspicious message purporting to be from an organization to contact the entity directly through verified channels, rather than following links or responding to a message.
For more information on how to protect yourself from fraud, visit the CAFC website.
