RCMP say residents in Fort Smith have reported receiving letters by email and in their mailboxes pretending they are accused of sexual offences.
The letters have a faked federal Department of Justice heading and claim to be from a “vice-president/director” of the RCMP named Philippe Villaroel, who does not actually exist.
Anyone receiving the letter is told they are charged with “offense of modesty, pedopornography, exhibitionism and cyber-pornography,” then issued with a threat: pay $3,200 or face having your name given to the media and legal proceedings.
It’s all nonsense. Don’t respond, RCMP said on Thursday.
In a statement to reporters, police confirmed the letters are nothing to do with the real RCMP and nobody should be sending any money.
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“So far, the letters have been reported by recipients in Fort Smith and have been received in emails and also via regular post,” RCMP stated.
“Anyone who receives a letter of this nature in the mail is asked to bring the letter, and the mailing envelope it was received in, to the local RCMP detachment.”
If you are ever unsure if a letter claiming to be from police is real, call your local detachment for confirmation, RCMP stated.
“The RCMP will not ask for money from residents and legal court documents are either served in person or, in some cases, sent via registered mail,” the news release concluded.
