The announcement last week by Interpol that they've arrested a man suspected of leading a major Internet scam ring highlights the need for businesses and residents across the region to remain constantly on guard for fraud, says Olds Chamber of Commerce president Stephen Dodwell.
Interpol announced Aug. 1 that they had arrested a 40-year-old Nigerian whose name was only given as “Mike,” along with a 38-year-old man. He is accused of scamming $60 million from companies around the world – including Canada.
“I go back to what I said before: if it looks suspicious, don't go anywhere near it,” Dodwell said.
He says unfortunately, businesses and residents are being inundated with unwanted emails from around the world – and even close to home -- that could be scams every day.
“You've just got to be real careful and not be sucked into something and have your guard up the whole time,” he said. “If in doubt – you're not quite sure – don't open an email; don't answer anybody. You can always ring us up at the chamber; we'll do some investigations for you.”
He says residents and business people can't just assume that all potentially fraudulent emails will automatically go into the junk folder in their email servers and be dealt with that way.
“You've got to actually do that due diligence yourself and just take care,” he said.
Dodwell, who also manages the Pomeroy Inn & Suites in Olds, says he and his staff are very careful to avoid potential fraud.
“We have to be extra vigilant when people come into the restaurant. We're getting more opportunities where people want to dine and run and people want to check in without credit cards,” he said.
“You've just got to be more careful than ever and question everything. Don't take anything at face value. The genuine people won't mind you ringing up and checking, because they're probably being hit with scams as well.”
Following are some frequently-encountered scams, as reported by RCMP:
• The STARS prize scam: The fraudster calls a person saying they're from STARS (the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society). They ask the victim to buy tickets in order to win big prizes. The victim pays for tickets that don't exist and a prize is never delivered.
• The RCMP fundraiser scam: The fraudster calls a person claiming to be with the RCMP and raising money for Bowl For Kids. They ask for a donation. RCMP say they “never ever solicit money for any reason.”
• The Reader's Digest scam: By phone, the fraudster tells the victim that they're a big winner in a Reader's Digest contest. The victim is instructed to send money to collect their prize, which, in reality, does not exist.
• The Canada Revenue Agency scam: By phone, the fraudster, claiming to be from Revenue Canada, tells a victim they owe money to the Canada Revenue Agency. The fraudster threatens police action if the money is not paid and uses other intimidating tactics to convince the victim to send them money.
Even if you have not lost money but suspect you may have been targeted by fraudsters in some fashion, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or go on-line to www.antifraudcentre.ca.
"If it looks suspicious, don't go anywhere near it,"Stephen Dodwellchamber president
