Calgarians lost as much as $75M to fraud in 2015: police

CALGARY – Calgarians lost an estimated $75 million to fraud last year, according to police.

The Calgary Police Service released the statistic on Tuesday, amid the launch of Fraud Prevention Month.

“Fraud is one of the fastest growing crimes across Canada.”

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“Fraud Prevention Month is an opportunity to arm Albertans with the tools and knowledge they need to make informed decisions,” Acting Service Alberta Minister Danielle Larviee said.

READ MORE: Top 10 scams to watch out for this Fraud Prevention Month

At least 4,972 Calgarians reported losing money to fraud last year.

“The best way to prevent fraud is to stop it before it starts,” Calgary Mayor Neheed Nenshi said. “When we are able recognize fraud, we are better equipped to protect ourselves from being victimized.”

A selection of community groups and government agencies will be visiting CrossIron Mills on March 12 to answer fraud-related questions from the community.