The London Police Service, in conjunction with Campus Community Police Service at The University of Western Ontario, is warning the public about a pervasive counterfeit cheque scam.
A large number of counterfeit Western cheques have been disseminated and cashed in various parts of Canada by unsuspecting individuals who believe the cheques to be legitimately issued by the university. The scammer selects names from public advertisements, then sends a fraudulent cheque to the person and persuades them to cash it. They are then instructed to return a portion of the amount to the original sender. In the majority of cases, individuals are purportedly receiving the cheque as payment for Internet purchases.
Despite claims made by the sender, cheques of this nature are counterfeit and are unrelated to Western.
Anyone with information about this fraud is asked to contact London Police Service at 519-661-5670, Crime Stoppers at 1-800 222-TIPS (8477) or Campus Community Police Service at 519-661-3300. Tips can be submitted anonymously at the London Crime Stoppers website.