WATCH: They’re scams that continue to victimize people year after year. Danielle Primrose with the Better Business Bureau joins us to talk about the BBB’s Top 10 Scams of 2014.
Thanks in large part to the digital world, fraudsters made a significant jump in their ‘earnings’ in 2014.
Every year the Better Business Bureau puts together a list of the top scams affecting British Columbians. Overall Canadians lost more than $70 million to scammers in 2014 whereas in 2013 a $53 million loss was recorded nationally.
The BBB attributes the significant increase to technology and the ease it afford hackers and fraudsters to set up shop.
“Technology continues to help scammers cast a wider net for people to be susceptible,” said Danielle Primrose, President of BBB in Mainland BC.
“It’s not just bricks and mortar storefronts where we see scams happening these days. The internet means more scammers have a wider net and can touch more people than ever before. If there’s money or personal information to be taken from someone regardless of location, fraudsters will target people who may not be as well informed taking place in the marketplace.”
The top 10 scams in 2014 identified by the BBB are:
1. Top Auto Scam – Automotive Online Pricing
2. Top Emotional Scam – Disaster Charity Fraud
3. Top Identity Theft – Remote Computer Repair
4. Top Social Media Scam – Fake Facebook Friend Request
5. Top Romance Scam – Catphishing/Online Dating scam
6. Top Utilities Scam – Fake Billing
7. Top Finance Scam – Online Affinity Fraud
8. Top Sales Scam – Redirected Robocalls
9. Top Big Data Scam – Big Box Breach
10. Top Ad Scam – Fake Online Reviews
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