LaSalle Police Service is making everyone aware of a scam involving the purchase Google Play Cards but could involve any type of redeemable gift card.
Two residents reported having received e-mail requests from friends, asking them to purchase Google Play Cards and provided a tearful story as to why they required this. The e-mails appeared to be legitimate and from people they knew. Both persons purchased hundreds of dollars worth of the cards. Luckily, both of them contacted their friends to advise that they had purchased the cards and were advised that no such request was made and so they did not proceed any further. Unfortunately, the cards are non-refundable. Please know that if someone is asking you to purchase any type of redeemable gift card as a method of payment it is most likely a scam. The moment you provide them with the code or pin on the back of the card your money is gone.
Here are a couple of resources to help educate about how these scams work and what to do.
Competition Bureau of Canada – Little Black Book of Scams
This next link is from the US but has excellent and to the point information on Gift Card Scams
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/gift-card-scams
If you have been the victim of such a scam, contact your local police service to make a report.