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Nottawasaga OPP alerts residents to ongoing bail fraud scam

March 26, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Nottawasaga Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police is warning residents about an ongoing fraud scheme in which callers impersonate a family member who claims they have been arrested and need bail money.

In this scam, the victim receives a phone call from someone pretending to be a family member. This could be a son, daughter, niece, or nephew who claims they were involved in a motor vehicle collision and were arrested. Shortly after, a second caller comes on the line posing as a defence lawyer and demands cash to secure the family member’s release on bail.

The scammers typically request that the cast be picked up in person or sometimes a money transfer.

Once the money is collected, the victim may receive another call stating that the other driver involved in the collision has died from their injuries and that additional bail money is now required.

The OPP wants people to know that, in situations like this, the caller is not a family member and is likely not involved in any incident.

Technology exists to spoof phone numbers, making calls appear to come from a known contact. In addition, voice cloning technology can be used if audio samples of a person are available.

If you or someone you know receives a call of this nature, do not provide any personal information over the phone, including your address or banking information.

Police, the court system, and lawyers will never request cash pickups or ask for financial information in this manner.

You should hang up immediately and report the call to the police.

If you are concerned about the safety of a family member, contact them directly using a known phone number or reach out to someone who would be in regular contact with them.

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