Each year March is designated the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association's (ACCPA) Fraud Prevention Month and, in most years, a series of events are hosted in the province to teach Albertans the ways in which fraudulent activity impacts their communities.  

However, in case you hadn't noticed, most in-person events haven't happened for the better part of a year so in March 2021 the RCMP are moving their initiatives online.  The ACCPA and its partners, including the RCMP, are highlighting topics such as cyber-crime, identity theft, phone scams, and more over social media platforms.  Albertans can follow the hashtag #FPM2021 to find both fraud prevention information and resources to help you prevent falling victim.

Corporal Tammy Keibel is the Media Relations Officer for the Southern Alberta District based out of Airdrie.  As you might expect, she says fraud is a fairly common occurrence in the province.  "Last year the Alberta RCMP investigated a total of 10,504 reports of fraud with 915 cases in March 2020 alone.  Fraud prevention is key to keeping you and your loved ones' financial and personal information safe."

Add to those numbers the number of cases of fraud that go unreported because victims are too embarrassed to report them, and you have a lot of scams that bilk Albertans out of millions of dollars in hard-earned money.

Keibel says fraudsters keep using scams that have worked in the past in an attempt to victimize you.  "A lot of what we see currently are frauds fronting as banking or credit card services, government agencies and customer service representatives.  They're posing as seemingly trustworthy sources to con victims into providing their personal and, in most cases, financial information."

Keibel explains that learning how to detect potential fraud is your best defense against falling victim to the crime.  She shares these tips on how to spot a scam:

  • Calls from unfamiliar area codes or numbers. Emails from unknown senders or addresses
  • Online or over the phone requests for immediate payments or money transfers, i.e. e-transfers, gifts cards, etc.
  • When personal or financial information is requested via text or email
  • Pre-recorded phone messages or voicemails from banks or government agencies.
  • Be extra cautious when dealing with cheques from unknown parties
  • If you’re unfamiliar with how cryptocurrencies work, you should avoid dealing in them.

Keibel says even a person who thinks they can never be fooled by a scam can be.  "If you're not sure if you are being targetted by a scam, you can always check with family or friends.  You can go to the Government of Canada website to learn about common scam-types and how to protect yourself against them."

If you have been the victim of a fraud, report it to your local law enforcement and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or by calling: 1-888-495-8501. You should also get in touch with your bank and credit card company if you believe your personal or financial information has been compromised.

Constable Keibel says for more fraud prevention information, follow the Alberta RCMP on social media, Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and Twitter @RCMPAlberta.

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