Toronto Police Service issued a public warning on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, alerting residents to a fresh scam that uses unsolicited phone calls to impersonate representatives of legitimate cellphone companies. The fraudsters claim to be selling high‑price smartphones and attempt to convince callers to purchase the devices during the call.
According to the police announcement made at 16:42 Eastern Daylight Time, the callers do not identify themselves as scammers but present themselves as authorized sales agents of well‑known mobile carriers. They describe the devices as premium models and use persuasive language to prompt immediate payment, often requesting credit‑card details over the phone. The aim of the operation is to obtain costly smartphones by deceiving victims into believing they are completing a legitimate purchase.
The Toronto Police Service emphasized that the calls are unsolicited, meaning recipients have not requested any information or sales offers. The agency advises the public to treat any unexpected phone call that asks for payment or personal financial information with suspicion, especially when the caller claims to represent a cellphone provider. Residents are encouraged to verify any such offers directly with the official customer service numbers of their carriers before providing any details.
This warning follows a pattern of phone scams in which fraudsters spoof the numbers and identities of reputable companies to gain trust. Toronto authorities have noted that spoofing tactics have been a recurring issue for consumers, leading to financial loss and identity theft in previous incidents. By highlighting the specific approach of selling expensive devices, police hope to reduce the likelihood that residents will fall victim to the scheme.
The police message concluded with a reminder that legitimate cellphone companies rarely, if ever, contact customers by cold call to sell devices and that any pressure to act quickly is a common hallmark of fraudulent activity. The Toronto Police Service continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates if further details emerge.