Daughter steps in after senior loses $9K to fraud: Salmon Arm RCMP

A senior in B.C.’s Interior was scammed of nearly $10,000, and it could have been worse had a family member not intervened.

Salmon Arm RCMP say the woman, who has dementia, sent $9,000 to a ‘gold currency’ company using e-transfer.

“Once the daughter realized what was happening, a hold was put on the bank account,” said police, noting the scam was reported to them on Nov. 7.

2:04 B.C. small business owner warns others to beware of cheque fraud

Police and several agencies nationwide constantly remind the public to be wary of scams.

“This incident is extremely troubling due to the amount lost by this victim,” said Const. Andrew Hodges.

“However there is nothing to be ashamed of if you believe you are a victim. We have seen victims as young as in their teens.”

RCMP say it’s important fraud incidents be reported so police can investigate. Further, they said it ensures victims will be supported and that information can be shared with other agencies, such as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

“Scammers continue to become more sophisticated with authentic-looking websites, phone numbers that appear to be local but are not and use email addresses that appear from legitimate organizations,” said the RCMP.

2:28 Woman scammed out of $5,000, warning others

Police also gave out these tips.

• Don’t be afraid to say no during unexpected phone calls
• Don’t give out personal information
• Avoid clicking any links and attachments in emails
• If the email is from a known sender, call to confirm they sent you an attachment to ensure it’s not a spoof (fake/fraud) email
• Consider using a credit card with a low credit limit or a single-use payment card for online purchases
• Always remember: If an offer sounds suspicious or too good to be true, it probably is.

According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, 21,299 people have fallen prey to scams from Jan. 1 to June 30 of this year.

It also reports that it has received 32,458 reports of fraud with losses totalling $283.5 million.

For comparison, in 2022 there were 92,078 reports of fraud, 57,578 victims of fraud and $531 million lost to fraud, with $2.8 million recovered.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has a webpage dedicated on what to do if you’ve fallen prey to scammers.

More information about red flags to watch for are available at the Competition Bureau of Canada and the RCMP’s website.