(NORFOLK COUNTY, ON) - Police are investigating after a local resident was deceived by an online employment scam.

On Monday, September 1, 2025, at approximately 10:12 am, the Norfolk County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a report of fraud at an address in Courtland.

The investigation revealed that the victim had responded to an online advertisement suggesting easy online work for pay. During communication with individuals claiming to be company employees, the victim was instructed to download an application that would allegedly allow them to receive cryptocurrency as payment. As part of the supposed work, the victim was also required to make payments from their personal account.

Further interaction with the suspects led the victim to provide personal and financial information. The victim was also unable to access funds they had previously transferred. After realizing they had been defrauded, the victim contacted police.

The OPP is reminding community members to take the following steps to protect themselves from similar scams:

• Be cautious of unsolicited job offers that promise easy money with little effort
• Do not download unfamiliar applications at the direction of unknown individuals
• Never provide personal or financial information unless you are certain of who you are dealing with
• Be wary of requests for upfront payments as part of any “job opportunity.”
• Verify legitimacy by researching the company independently and contacting them directly through official channels

FRAUD: Recognize. Reject. Report.