After a Quinte West resident lost $120 to a speeding ticket phishing scam, police are urging residents to be vigilant.
The incident prompted Quinte West OPP to issue an alert, saying the public should be aware of a text messaging scam circulating involving “outstanding driving-related fines.”
Police said on Oct. 8, 2025, they received a fraud complaint where the victim paid $120 after receiving a text message warning of a driver’s licence suspension if the fine wasn’t paid immediately.
“The link provided for payment – resembling the Service Ontario website – is commonly known as phishing,” said police. “Victims are tricked into clicking the link and entering banking information, such as credit cards, for payment.
“This leaves banking information unprotected and possibly subject to further loss of funds. Often financial institutions will not reimburse clients for such transactions.”
Awareness is key to protecting yourself from fraud, said police, while urging residents to be skeptical of unexpected requests and to do their homework and verification with trusted sources.
Personal and/or financial information should never be shared with anyone you don’t know, added OPP.
Frauds and suspected frauds should be reported to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which is accessible online or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
