Guelph Police are warning residents to be cautious when selling items online after a local resident was scammed out of an iPhone 16 on April 2, 2026. The seller accepted nine $100 bills as payment, only to discover later at a bank that the money was counterfeit and clearly marked with the words “Prop money” in the hologram area.
This incident marks at least the fourth time since early December 2025 that residents have reported receiving fake currency during online transactions in Guelph. In previous cases, sellers reported receiving seven counterfeit bills for similar electronics sales. The suspect involved in the most recent transaction is described as a black man driving a four-door sedan.
While investigations into these local incidents are ongoing, authorities recently dismantled a larger counterfeit ring elsewhere in Ontario. On March 31, 2026, the Halton Regional Police Service concluded an operation known as Project Mirage, which began in August 2025. That investigation led to the arrest of six individuals and the seizure of over $60,000 in fake bills that were being marketed online as film prop money.
To help prevent further fraud, the Guelph Police Service is encouraging community members to use their designated safe meeting place for online exchanges. A free Buy and Sell Zone is available to the public outside of the police headquarters on Fountain Street East.
Anyone with information regarding these fraudulent transactions is asked to contact the Guelph Police Service or provide an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington.
