With scams popping up across New Brunswick, there’s a good chance someone you know has been targeted. Now, the authorities say it’s more important than ever for people to be aware of them.
The province’s Financial and Consumer Services Commission has warned of a variety of scams that are circulating, including pyramid schemes and phishing scams to steal banking information. Marissa Sollows, the commission’s senior education director, says some of them are quite creative.
READ MORE: Financial regulator warns of several reported scams in New Brunswick
In Saint John, a family of Syrian refugees was bilked out of several hundred dollars. The story had a good ending when someone from the community replaced the stolen money. Still, Saint John Regional YMCA CEO Shilo Boucher says it can happen to anyone.
“I mean they were just new here to Canada. It was unfortunate, but now they know what to look out for and it has also helped us know that we need to be more prudent and giving them education sooner,” she said.
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Sollows says scam artists are smart and know how to touch all the right buttons.
“They have all of the tricks of the trade,” she said. “They use sales pitches and sales tactics that we see everyday in very legitimate settings.”
She recommends thinking critically when you’re approached with an unsolicited offer.
More information about the scams can be found on the commission’s website.
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