OPP officials allege: A local resident has lost $13,000 after falling victim to a lottery scam involving Apple gift cards, prompting a warning from the Ontario Provincial Police.
The Ontario Provincial Police said the incident occurred on March 17, 2026, shortly after 10 a.m., when members of the Lambton County detachment were contacted regarding a fraud complaint.
Police said a local resident reported they had been victimized after being contacted by an individual claiming to represent a lottery commission.
The victim was told they had won a vehicle and, in order to claim the prize, were required to make payment using Apple gift cards. The victim complied; however, no prize was received and all communication with the suspect ceased.
Police are reminding the public to remain vigilant when receiving unsolicited communications, noting that fraudsters often request personal information such as a name, date of birth, address, banking information or Social Insurance Number, or demand payment through unconventional methods such as gift cards.
They added that warning signs of fraud may include messages or calls received at unusual hours, requests that create a sense of urgency, spelling or grammatical errors, and generic greetings or suspicious links and attachments.
Anyone who believes they have been a victim of fraud is asked to contact their local police service and report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online.
