OPP report ‘rising trend’ of scam involving police officer impersonation

The East Region of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning residents of a scam that’s been occurring recently involving suspects who impersonate police officers.

In a press release issued on Monday, Mar. 2, 2026, the East Region OPP said they are “alerting residents across the region to an emerging scam trending involving suspects who pose as police officers to defraud victims of substantial amounts of money.” According to police, recent reports indicate that the perpetrators of these scams contacted victims by phone, “claiming to be members of the OPP.”

“In some cases, the suspect uses the name of a real OPP officer, while in other incidents the fraudster has used fabricated names, titles, and badge information to gain credibility,” the OPP stated.

In the reported cases, victims were instructed to withdraw large sums of money, and then to either hand over the cash directly, or to send the funds via cryptocurrency platforms.

“These tactics resulted in significant financial losses, including incidents where victims sent between $6,000 and $13,000 to these individuals,” the OPP detailed.

“Fraudsters often use urgency, intimidation, and fear to pressure victims into complying with their demands.”

Police offered the following tips to protect against police-impersonation scams, including ways to verify the identity of an OPP officer if needed.

Need-to-know information and fraud-prevention strategies:

• Police will never request money, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or financial transfers over the phone
• Police will never demand immediate payment, threaten arrest (regarding such a payment), or pressure you to act urgently
• Do not provide banking details, personal identification numbers (PINs), or other identification numbers to unsolicited callers
• Pause and talk to a trusted family member or friend before making any financial decision under pressure

Verify or report through the OPP non-emergency line

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be an OPP officer and you are unsure of the legitimacy of that claim, you can contact the OPP non-emergency line at 1-888-310-1122. This number can be used to:

• Confirm whether an officer has attempted to contact you
• Report suspicious calls or attempted frauds
• Speak directly with police about fraud-related concerns

Any residents who have been targeted or victimized by fraud are encouraged to contact police, and report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca

“The OPP continues to monitor fraud trends and reminds community members that awareness is one of the strongest tools against financial victimization,” police said.

The OPP East Region could not provide exact numbers on instances of fraud involving police impersonation in the region. However, Bill Dickson, Media Relations Coordinator for the OPP East Region said he is “not aware” of any such incidents being reported in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) area.

“This was flagged after incidents within the Ottawa Valley, as well as east of Ottawa,” Dickson told Kingstonist, “but we all know criminals will target people in all types of communities.”

Kingstonist has inquired as to what the suspects have indicated the funds are for in the police-impersonation scams that have occurred in the region. This article will be updated if/when that information becomes available.