Canada: A woman in Nova Scotia was confronted by heavily armed police after suspected scammers allegedly threatened her with a fake hostage situation when she refused to follow their instructions, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
According to a report by Global News, Lynn Clark Colpitts received a phone call on Friday from a woman claiming to work in her bank’s fraud department. The caller allegedly told her that someone had applied for a credit card in her name and instructed her to download an application on her phone.
Suspicious of the request, Colpitts sought advice from her company’s IT support employee, who recommended contacting her bank independently. When she refused to install the application and said she would verify the claim directly with the bank, the caller allegedly became abusive and threatened her.
Colpitts said the caller contacted her again approximately 20 minutes later, warning that she had a surprise waiting outside her home. Soon afterwards, she found armed police officers in her yard and on the street.
In a statement released on Monday, Colchester County District RCMP said officers had received information from the Truro Police Service about a woman allegedly being held hostage by three armed individuals at a residence in Lower Truro. Police officers responded immediately and found Colpitts safe inside the home.
The incident is being treated as a suspected case of swatting, a form of harassment in which false emergency reports are made to trigger a major police response against an unsuspecting victim.
RCMP said the case highlights the lengths suspected scammers may go to when their demands are challenged. Police also commended Colpitts for verifying the caller’s claims instead of following the instructions.
Colpitts said she continues to receive threatening messages and remains fearful following the incident. She has since shared her experience on Facebook to warn others about similar schemes.
She urged people to end suspicious calls claiming to originate from bank fraud departments and independently verify such claims. The RCMP investigation remains ongoing.
