Police in Nanaimo are urging residents to be vigilant after a series of reports about a scam that targets people who recently bought new cellphones. Investigators say fraudsters contact legitimate buyers, posing as the service provider and instructing them to return their device because of an alleged problem — then send a prepaid shipping label that routes the phone to a private address.
How the scam works
The Nanaimo RCMP say victims have described callers who appeared to know details about recent purchases and deliveries. In some incidents, the caller promises to replace the device once the buyer returns it, but the replacement never arrives.
- Initial contact: A person receives a message or call claiming to be from their wireless carrier.
- Return request: The caller says there is an issue with the device and that it must be returned using a prepaid label.
- False shipping: The label directs the package to a private address controlled by the fraudster, not the carrier.
Police advice for residents
Nanaimo RCMP media relations officer R/Const. Gary O’Brien said the source of how fraudsters obtain purchase details remains unclear, but the sophistication of the contacts is worrying.
“The source of the information being used by the fraudsters is unknown; however, victims have reported that the scammers appeared to know details about recent cell phone purchases and deliveries,”
RCMP are recommending a number of straightforward precautions to reduce risk:
- Always contact your service provider using a verified number from an official website or your account paperwork before following any return instructions.
- Be wary of emails or messages from free webmail addresses or from senders with misspellings in the address.
- Independently verify any shipping address rather than relying on the information sent in an email or text.
- Avoid giving personal or account information until you have confirmed you are speaking with an authorised representative.
- Monitor credit and financial accounts if you suspect personal information has been compromised.
Reporting and regional context
Anyone in Nanaimo who believes they have been targeted or victimised by this scam is asked to contact the local police non-emergency line at 250-754-2345. The RCMP also encourages residents with questions to reach out to their carrier directly for confirmation.
The alert comes amid a growing national volume of fraud reports. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported 15,107 fraud reports that resulted in a combined loss of $351 million as of June 30.
| Data point | As of June 30 |
|---|---|
| Number of fraud reports | 15,107 |
| Reported combined losses | $351 million |
For many Nanaimo residents the concern is not only financial loss but the erosion of trust in online and phone-based customer service. With major carriers often sending automated messages about orders and deliveries, fraudsters are exploiting familiarity with those communications to craft convincing pretexts.
As the West Coast continues to embrace digital commerce and promotional device offers, policing and consumer-protection agencies urge vigilance. Simple checks — calling a known carrier number, inspecting the sender’s email domain and confirming shipping addresses — can prevent the kind of loss reported to the anti-fraud centre.
Local consumers who fall victim to the scheme should report the incident to Nanaimo RCMP and consider contacting their financial institution and credit-monitoring services to limit further harm.
