The Innisfail RCMP is seeing a sharp increase in calls from citizens who are reporting frauds and scams.
And the detachment is now distributing free information cards to citizens that list several anti-fraud resources with contact phone numbers and websites to assist them in identifying identity theft and the growing number of scams the public is facing, notably seniors and the vulnerable.
Innisfail RCMP Sgt. Lori Eiler said K Division headquarters in Edmonton created the card campaign and they are available at the detachment for any member of the public.
“They are not a new thing but they are certainly something we would like to remind the public about,” said Eiler, adding the detachment is receiving about 10 calls a day about various scams. “We have certainly seen an increase in the number of calls at the front counter. It causes us some concern. I feel that the majority of people contacting us are seniors. They are definitely more vulnerable to these types of scams.”
Eiler said the card, designed to easily fit in almost any sized wallet, can be an important benefit for anyone -- especially seniors.
“If you have elderly parents and provide them with the card so it can be handy for them, it can provide some sense of security, and I think it empowers them to be able to take control back,” she said.
Eiler said she could not comment whether most calls for assistance are coming from seniors, but from her review of daily logs and the types of complaints the detachment is receiving there is “a number” of victims who are seniors or elderly citizens.
In the meantime, the RCMP is saying the majority of these complaints involve someone calling the victim and asking for some money in return for a prize. The three most popular scams police are seeing are:
* The STARS prize scam. The fraudster cold-calls a person and says they are from STARS and ask the victim to buy tickets to win big prizes. The victim then pays the money for the tickets, which are non-existent and prizes are never received.
* The RCMP fundraiser scam. The fraudster cold-calls a person and says they are the RCMP raising money for Bowl For Kids and asks for a donation. The RCMP never solicits money for any reason and the victim ends up donating money to a criminal and not a charity.
* The Readers Digest Scam. The fraudster cold-calls a person and says they are a big winner. The victim is instructed to send money to collect their prize. There is never a prize and the money goes to a criminal.
* The Canada Revenue Agency scam. The fraudster cold-calls a person and says they are in trouble and owe money to the Canada Revenue Agency. They threaten police action and use intimidation to convince the victim to send them money.
Eiler said if any citizen has not lost money through a fraudulent scam but suspect they have been targeted, they are urged to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or go to the agency's website at www.antifraudcentre.ca
If any citizen receives a suspicious email soliciting financial information, he or she is urged to advise the bank or agency involved. And if anyone has been directly victimized they are asked to contact local RCMP at 403-227-3342 and the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre.
“If you are a victim and you actually lost money then we absolutely want to hear about that,” said Eiler.
For more information, visit the RCMP's website at www.rcmp.gc.ca
Innisfail RCMP Sgt. Lori Eiler
"If you have elderly parents and provide them with the card so it can be handy for them it can provide some sense of security, and I think it empowers them to be able to take control back."
