The Kelowna RCMP have noticed an uptick in fraud and scams in town lately and want to remind the public how to avoid and identify these situations.
Three types of scams the RCMP have seen an increase in are: tap, communication, and online scams.
Tap fraud is when a suspect steals a someone’s bank or credit cards and makes purchases before the person notices. Many of these cases start when people leave their wallet or purse in their car and easy to steal.
“No matter how long you are away from your vehicle, it’s imperative that you ensure your vehicle is locked and there are no valuables visible,” stated RCMP.
Communication scams are when people post as law enforcement agencies like the RCMP, Interpol, or Europol through email or phone calls. These people will often use the proper logo to make themselves look legit. Their messages to the people they are trying to steal from usually include:
- A fraudulent letter accusing you of criminal charges and asking you to contact them to avoid jail;
- A message demanding money to avoid arrest;
- An email with a malicious attachment they ask you to open.
Sometimes they also pose as employees of the Canada Revenue Agency or Service Canada and claim you have:
- Have a compromised SIN number;
- Have an outstanding case against you;
- Owe back taxes;
- Have unpaid balances;
- Committed a financial crime.
These scammers could threaten arrest, fines, or deportation if you don’t comply immediately. They often request payment via money service businesses, prepaid cards/gift cards (iTunes, Google Play, or Steam cards), or Bitcoin.
“Law enforcement or any level of government and financial institutes will never demand payment especially using gift cards or other alternative payment options. These institutes often threaten arrest via email or phone” said Const. Mike Della-Paolera. “If in doubt, contact the law enforcement agency directly.”
Grandparent or grandchild scams also continue to swirl around the Okanagan where scammers target seniors, usually telling them their grandchild is in legal trouble (arrested, involved in car crash) and need a large sum of money for bail or for the situation. They often ask for the money to be wired without telling anyone about it.
Twice in Kelowna, the scammer has gone to the target’s house and taken the money in an pre-arranged agreement.
Ways to protect yourself from grandparent/grandchild scams are:
- Check your vehicles to ensure it’s locked no matter how short the stop is;
- Update and maintain strong passwords;
- Refuse overpayment cheques, ask for exact amounts;
- If a bank or company reaches out to you regarding a fraudulent transaction on an account, a hacked computer or a virus, be safe and hang up.
Anyone who receives a call like this is to hang up right away with wiring money or giving any information. Hang up, call your grandchild or another family member to find out what’s going on and then report the scam to the Kelowna RCMP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll-free at 1 888 495-8501or by email info@antifraudcentre.ca.
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