A Guelph man thought he won the lottery but ended up losing $20,000. Guelph Police said it started with a phone call informing the victim he had won $850,000 from Lotto 6/49. But first, he had to pay for taxes and insurance, as well as a “police escort fee” to deliver his winning cheque. The man was instructed to put the money on pre-paid credit cards, then share those card numbers with the caller. Police said the victim lost $20,000 before realizing it was a scam. “Residents are encouraged to be wary of any telephone call, email or text which requires you to take immediate action,” they wrote in a media release. “It is always best to independently contact the supposed sender and confirm the legitimacy of the correspondence before taking action.” All scams should be reported the local police service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, whether or not any money has been lost.
