Statistics Canada warns of bogus callers

CANADA-- Statistics Canada is warning that scammers posing as government researchers are trying to con people out of money.

The government agency reports that Canadians have received calls from people claiming to be from Statistics Canada or working on the Census of Canada asking for bank, credit card and social insurance information.

A spokeswoman for Statistics Canada said that while there had not been “a huge number” of calls reported to them, the situation had been escalating since last September, especially in the west of the country.

She said that the organisation carries out around 350 telephone studies annually and was concerned that response rates could be affected by the fraudulent calls.

Statistics Canada is urging anyone that receives a bogus call to contact them and request that anyone who has given financial information to fraudsters contact the police.

Author: James Verrinder