News release

Burnaby RCMP warns public of ongoing elaborate foreign police scam

October 30, 2025 - Burnaby, British Columbia
From: Burnaby RCMP

Content

Burnaby RCMP is warning the public of an ever-evolving phone scam that has resulted in the loss of a million dollars for one Burnaby victim.

Consistent with other reports across the Lower Mainland, the victim was contacted by scammers posing as employees of a telephone company in June.  The victim was told she was linked to a fraud investigation and was eventually redirected to a “foreign police station”, where she spoke to several people she believed were police officers.

The communications were moved over to a video conference, where the victim was convinced she was speaking to the police, as an elaborate police station could be seen in the background. The fraudsters provided the victim with her passport and driver’s licence numbers, which made the claims even more believable.

The victim was later convinced to pay bail to avoid having to travel abroad. Between July and September, four large transfers, for a total of one million dollars, were completed.

“This type of fraud is not new, but the construction of an elaborate police station is new,” said Cpl. Mike Kalanj with the Burnaby RCMP. “These scammers continually develop new angles to get your money. Always be skeptical when unknown individuals are asking for personal details or money.”

Police are urging anyone that receives a similar phone call, to hang up and call their local police immediately.

For more information on current scams in Canada, please visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.

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