Protect Yourself From SCAMS and FRAUD

One of the main concerns for the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP is the number of citizens being
targeted by fraudsters. Fraud is currently the fastest growing preventable crime trend affecting our
community. Fraudsters often claim to be with agencies such as Canada Revenue, BC Hydro or major
banks. The average age of victims locally is 61. We have been working with community agencies to
educate as many people as possible on how to avoid falling victim to this crime. If you have any
questions or concerns please contact the Sidney/North Saanich Detachment at 250-656-3931

New! Fraud Prevention Workshop –

Please review and share the following tips.

Don’t be afraid to say no:

Don’t be intimidated by high-pressure sales tactics. If a telemarketer tries to get you to buy something
or to send them money right away:
• Request the information in writing
• Hang up
Watch out for urgent pleas that play on your emotions.

Do your research:

Always verify that the organization you’re dealing with is legitimate before you take any other action:
• Verify Canadian charities with the Canada Revenue Agency
• Verify collection agencies with the appropriate provincial agency
• Look online for contact information for the company that supposedly called you, and call them
to confirm
• Verify any calls with your credit card company by calling the phone number on the back of your
credit card
If you’ve received a call or other contact from a family member in trouble, talk to other family
members to confirm the situation.
Watch out for fake or deceptive ads, or spoofed emails. Always verify the company and its services
are real before you contact them.

Don’t give out personal information:

Beware of unsolicited calls where the caller asks you for personal information, such as:
• Your name
• Your address
• Your birthdate
• Your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Your credit card or banking information
If you didn’t initiate the call, you don’t know who you’re talking to.

Beware of upfront fees

Many scams request you to pay fees in advance of receiving goods, services, or a prize. It’s illegal for
a company to ask you to pay a fee upfront before they’ll give you a loan.
There are no prize fees or taxes in Canada. If you won it, it’s free.

Protect your online accounts

By taking the following steps, you can better protect your online accounts from fraud and data
breaches:

 

• Create a strong password by:
• Using a minimum of 8 characters including upper and lower case letters, and at least 1
  number and a symbol
• Creating unique passwords for every online account including social networks, emails,
  financial and other accounts
• Using a combination of passphrases that are easy for you to remember but hard for
  others to guess
• Enable multi-factor authentication
• Only log into your accounts from trusted sources
• Don’t reveal personal information over social media

Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably IS!

Thanks for this valuable information from:

Cst. Tim COSGROVE 58186
Community Policing
Sidney/North Saanich RCMP
tim.cosgrove@rcmp-grc.gc.ca