Despite constant warnings and awareness campaigns, scams continue to cost residents time, money and peace of mind. Why? Because fraudsters don’t just hunt for data — they wait for the “perfect storm” of emotion and timing, says Det. Cst. Kris Nicholson of the Barrie Police Fraud Unit.
“They hit your heartstrings and get you when you’re at the perfect storm… in terms of your emotion, or whatever they’re targetting you for,” Nicholson told Barrie 360. “They honestly are [good at it]… I appreciate the intelligence — if only they used those powers for good.”
The playbook: fear, urgency and familiarity
Nicholson says the most common scams weaponize panic and urgency. Think emails or texts threatening to delete your cloud photos, suspend your Netflix account, or demand duty on a 'package at the border.' They often mimic trusted brands with convincing logos and deadlines like 'by 3 p.m. today.'
“You’ll notice a lot of those emails say to do it right now,” he said. “They’re hoping you act on fear.”
Seasonal waves are typical: package and duty scams in November–December, tax-refund or CRA-themed phishing in March–April. Fraudsters also tailor messages to big banks and services to catch you off guard. A quick tell? Tap the sender name to reveal the full email address — if it’s a long string of random characters or doesn’t match the domain (e.g., not from a real @netflix.com or @apple.com or address), bin it.
How scammers got your email in the first place
Much of the data used to target you comes from breaches of third-party organizations and everyday sign-ups (loyalty programs, registrations, online accounts). Once lists are stolen, they’re traded or sold on criminal marketplaces. “It’s not a perfect system,” Nicholson said - which is why prevention and damage control matter.
If your details show up on the dark web or you get an alert from a monitoring service, change your passwords — yes, it’s tedious, but it’s worth it.
Seniors are targetted — and why families should talk
Older adults remain a prime target. They’re respectful of authority, more financially established, and deeply invested in family - ingredients scammers exploit in 'grandparent' schemes and too-good-to-be-true online sales.
Nicholson urges families to normalize safety check-ins: call a parent or grandparent if they mention a sudden 'urgent' payment request, an investment tied to a public figure, or an online classified that requires a deposit sight unseen.
Marketplace red flags: rentals, deposits and e‑transfers
Peer-to-peer platforms (Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji) are ripe for fraud:
- Never send an e‑transfer to a stranger, especially before seeing the item or rental.
- Insist on seeing a rental in person. Scammers often reuse photos from realtor listings and take 'deposits' from multiple victims.
- Prefer cash in person or a secure method at the time of exchange.
- Meet in a public place - Nicholson even encourages meeting in the police station parking lot: “No criminal’s coming to meet you there.”
Employment and crypto investment scams are surging
Two fast-risers Nicholson’s unit sees:
- Job offers that ask you to pay up front for equipment, software or uniforms. Legit employers don’t demand pre-payment from applicants.
- Crypto 'investments' pushed via hacked social accounts or slick ads with public figures. Some sites show fake dashboards with 'gains' — until you try to withdraw and get hit with endless 'taxes' and 'fees'.
The simplest habit that stops most scams
Nicholson’s office has a motto: Take Five, Tell Two. “Take five minutes to calm down...then tell two people,” he said. “By the time you talk to someone not caught up in the emotion, they’ll say, ‘Hold on - that doesn’t make sense.’”
Quick checklist: What to do right now
- Slow down. Urgency is a red flag.
- Verify the sender. Tap the address; don’t trust the display name.
- Go direct. For Netflix, cloud storage, banks or CRA issues, open the official app or type the URL yourself - don’t click links in messages.
- Use strong, unique passwords and turn on multi‑factor authentication. Consider a password manager.
- Refuse prepayment for rentals, job gear or marketplace items. See it first.
- Meet safely. Public place, daylight, bring a friend; police station lots are welcome.
- Talk about it. Share scams with family — especially parents and grandparents.
Where to get help (and more prevention tips)
- Barrie Police: educational resources, fraud-prevention posts and community talks are available. You can request a speaker for seniors’ residences, churches, legions and more. Visit barriepolice.ca and check their social channels (Instagram and X).
- If you’ve lost money or shared sensitive information, report to Barrie Police and the Canadian Anti‑Fraud Centre. Save screenshots, email headers and transaction details.
Listen below to our full interview with Det. Cst. Kris Nicholson. It begins at the 5:14 mark.
