May 26th, 2023

WRDSB families:

We want to ensure you are aware of a fraudulent cheque scam which has affected multiple youths in the Waterloo region. 

According to Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), in this scam, the fraudster sends a message about a money-making opportunity, via an instant messaging application, to the victim. The fraudster asks the victim to deposit a cheque for them and tells them to keep a portion of the funds after e-transferring the other portion of the funds to the fraudster. The fraudster provides photos of the front and back of a cheque. The victim then auto-deposits the cheque, which initially provides them access to the funds, but results in the loss of funds or causes the victim’s account to be overdrawn after the cheque later bounces.

You can find more information in the WRPS media release issued earlier today.

If you or your child believe you may have been a victim of a similar scam, please contact Waterloo Regional Police at 519-570-9777.