NEWS RELEASE WELLINGTON COUNTY OPP
(TOWN OF MINTO, ON) – Police are reminding last-minute Christmas shoppers to stay alert for online scams.
On December 15, 2025, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to the report of an online fraud that occurred in Palmerston.
The victim reports purchasing $300 worth of firewood from a seller on an online marketplace website. The seller insisted that the victim pay the money upfront via e-transfer, instead of paying cash on delivery. The firewood was scheduled to be delivered the following day but never showed up.
Upon realizing they had been scammed, the victim contacted police. After reviewing the seller’s profile, police noticed several red flags that clearly confirmed the seller’s fraudulent nature, including photos suggesting the individual was based in Texas.
What are online shopping Scams?
Online shopping scams involve fraudulent schemes where scammers impersonate legitimate sellers to exploit consumers for financial gain or data theft. Fraudsters often create accounts on legitimate auction and online marketplace websites. They will advertise their products at very low prices, enticing you to buy them. If you do end up receiving the product, it might be of poor quality or a bad imitation of what you expected. In other instances. fraudsters might lure you into clicking on a harmful link to a seemingly genuine website.
Tips to protect yourself:
- Be wary of websites that contain grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
- Only buy from companies or individuals you know by reputation or from past experience.
- Look for reviews but remember that some can be fake!
- Analyze the seller’s profile: where are they located? How old is their profile? Are they using a stock photo as their profile picture?
- Use a credit card when shopping online – many offer protections and may give you a refund.
- Know the market value of the item you’re buying.
- If a deal sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
- Fraudsters will often create a sense of urgency and try to pressure a buyer into a deal.
For more information on scams and frauds, the public is encouraged to read The Little Black Book of Scams, which can be found online:
https://www.competitionbureau.
If you are the recipient of a fraudulent call, text, or email, or if you have been a victim of a fraud, you are encouraged to report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by calling 1-888-495-8501 or visit http://www.
