Scam Alert
By John Swartz
The City of Orillia warns of a scam involving an individual falsely claiming to be a City by-law officer and attempting to collect payment directly from residents at their homes.
The City recently became aware of a concerning incident in which a resident was approached at their home by someone posing as a by-law officer and was asked to provide payment on the spot for an alleged violation related to tall grass and weeds.
By-law officers never collect fines or penalty payments door-to-door. Any legitimate fines or penalties issued by the City must be paid through official channels, including at the Orillia City Centre, online via paytickets.ca or by mail.
All City of Orillia by-law officers wear distinctive blue uniforms bearing the City’s official logo and carry City-issued identification badges, which they will present upon request. Officers will never request payment in cash or on-site at a residence.
If a resident is approached by someone claiming to be a by-law officer requesting immediate payment they should report the incident immediately to the OPP non-emergency line at 1-888-310-1122.
For more information about how to recognize legitimate City of Orillia by-law officers and the proper process for paying fines, call 705-325-2313, email by-law@orillia.ca or visit online.
Council meetings are open to the public or can be watched on the City’s Youtube channel.
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