Gatineau, Que. police say vigilant citizens help stop police impersonation fraud

A Gatineau police vehicle is seen in this file image.

Gatineau police say two men were arrested this week thanks to quick thinking citizens who called in an apparent fraud in progress.

On Tuesday, at around 11:50 a.m., officers were called to rue de l’Érablière, after a man claiming to be a police officer was attempting to collect residents’ bank cards.

Two men were promptly arrested, and police seized several drugs, including 254 grams of cocaine, 121 g of crack, and nearly 8,000 amphetamine tablets, according to a media release. More than $1,700 in cash, two cellphones, and a laptop were also seized.

The men, one 19 from Saint-Eustache, Que., and the other 20, from Terrebonne, are charged with impersonating a peace officer, fraud, possession of drugs for the purposes of trafficking, and possession of property obtained by crime.

Gatineau police say fraudsters can mimic phone numbers on caller ID and may sometimes claim to be calling from the police department.

“If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a police officer and telling you that you have been the victim of a crime, hang up and call your local police station yourself,” police said in a statement, translated from French.

“Fraudsters are skilled and will create a sense of urgency to pressure you into revealing sensitive information. Never give personal information, credit or debit card numbers, or your Social Insurance Number to anyone whose identity you cannot confirm.”

Police say, when in doubt, just hang up and call your local police department.

This latest arrest in Gatineau comes on the heels of recent warnings from the Ontario Provincial Police as well, who say there has been a rise in police impersonation scams.

Earlier this month, Hawkesbury OPP arrested three people in connection with several reported frauds.

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