A man from Ontario was left with just $9 after he was scammed of his life savings which are worth more than $8,200. Ganesh Khatry of Brampton Ontario was tricked into handing over his savings to scammers. He has been saving since he moved to Canada from Nepal 3 years ago in search of a better future.
Savings Gone
Khatry got a job at his local Walmart where he worked in shifts for years to pay his rent and build his savings. A family friend, Eliza Rizal, spoke to CTV News Toronto because Khatry does not speak fluent English. According to the family friend, Khatry received a call from someone claiming to be the Brampton Police on October 1. He was told that his bank accounts and his social insurance number were compromised, and he was worried that he would lose all his savings. He was told by the fraudsters that his compromised information may have been used to open multiple bank accounts used as avenues for money laundering and drug trafficking. Furthermore, he was told that withdrawing all his money and depositing it in a Bitcoin account will keep it safe.
Khatry was confused about the above and asked if he could talk to his friend but the caller insisted that since fraud was discovered involving his bank accounts and social insurance number, that it would be a mistake to tell anyone because it would compromise his safety. Khatry then proceeded to withdraw all his money from his two bank accounts, withdrawing about $4,000 from each account to deposit it to a Bitcoin machine believing that by doing so, his money will be safeguarded until the fake police can provide him with a new social insurance card the following day. Khatry realized that he was scammed the following morning.
Authorities Informed
After realizing what happened, Khatry immediately contacted Peel Regional Police but there was nothing law enforcement could do except tell him that his money was already gone. Note that money sent via cryptocurrency is nearly impossible to trace. Peel Regional Police spokesperson says that they are currently investigating the case with the help of their Fraud Bureau.
Lasting Trauma
Rizal shares that Khatry has barely left his room since he was scammed and he?s currently being supported financially by his friends, adding that Khatry is depressed and feels ashamed about falling for a scam.
Rizal started a GoFundMe page for Khatry to help him raise part of the funds that he has lost. She says that they hope to help him raise money to help him overcome what happened more so that falling for a scam is never the victim?s fault and that there is nothing to be ashamed of.
Avoid Bitcoin Scams
Peel Regional Police issued a warning in June to warn people about the surge in Bitcoin scams wherein fraudsters identify themselves as police officers to fool more victims. The police say that fraudsters can manipulate technology these days to make it seem like the phone call is from the actual government agency being mimicked and it is easy for anyone to fall victim to these manipulations.
Avoiding Bitcoin scams can be challenging because the people behind them take advantage of fear and misdirection to make victims do what they want. It is important to keep yourself updated about common scams and try to exercise doubt when you receive calls or warnings claiming to be from the authorities. If you think that your data may have been compromised, you can contact us at Haywood Hunt to find out how you can protect yourself and know which of our private investigation services could be beneficial for you.
