North Okanagan residents are reminded to be careful with who they give their personal information in the wake of rising scam reports.
Vernon area police said residents have reported receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be from Telus offering them a “sweet deal” on phone, internet, and TV services.
“The catch comes when the scammer tells the victim that in order to receive the offer, they need to provide their Social Insurance Number, driver’s license number, and date of birth,” RCMP said in a Friday media release.
Scams that lure unsuspecting victims to give up personal information via phone, text or email with an offer of money, a refund, or prize are increasingly common, RCMP said.
“It should be a huge red flag anytime you receive a cold call, or an unsolicited email or text offering you money or asking for personal or financial information,” Const.Chris Terleski said.
“Legitimate organizations will never ask for bank account numbers, driver’s license numbers, or SIN numbers over the phone. Be very careful with any callback numbers the person gives you. They’re probably fake. If you suspect the person you are speaking to is not legitimate, hang up and call back using publicly accessible numbers. Scammers aren’t going away, but there are things you can do to stay head of them and keep from becoming a victim.”
Terleski offered up some tips to recognize, reject, and report fraud including, being wary of anyone offering money, prizes, or deals through unsolicited phone calls, emails, or text messages.
He also recommended never assuming the caller is who they say they are simply because they have some basic info such as your address or your birthdate.
“If you didn’t initiate the call, you don’t know who you are talking to,” he said. “Never give out any personal information over the phone to unsolicited callers.”
Terleski said that anyone who has been the victim of a scam and have either lost money or provided personal or financial information should report it to police. People can also report scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by calling 888-495-8501
For more information about common fraud scams and how to protect yourself, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s website.