CHRIS LOWREY
PONTIAC March 11, 2020
The Sûreté du Québec and other law enforcement agencies are warning people to be vigilant against the evolving threat posed by scammers.
This year’s theme for . . .
fraud prevention month focuses on how the con artist’s methods have continued to shift as law enforcement cracks down on them.
With an annual cost in 2019 of $5.3 million in Quebec alone, identity theft and fraud bilk many residents of the province out of their hard-earned cash.
The Sûreté du Québec has chosen to focus on four different types of scams:
The first is the “Love Scam,” where a fraudster creates a fake dating profile online and tries to extract money from victims. Police say this has taken the most money from Quebec residents at a staggering $2.1 million.
Next up is the “Urgent Payment” scam, where the fraudster pretends to be in a tight jam that requires the victim to send money to help.
Another type of rip off that is quite popular these days involves the scam artist reproducing the phone number and call signature of the Canada Revenue Agency and demanding a non-existent late payment and threaten the victim with jail time.
Other prevailing scams listed by the police involve the counterfeiting of banknotes and business fraud.
The police warn residents to be vigilant and cast a skeptical eye towards anything that may be considered “too good to be true.”
Fraudsters generally bet on ignorance, the vulnerability of victims or the feeling of urgency to dupe victims.
The Sûreté du Québec asks that anyone who suspects fraudulent behaviour should report it to their local law enforcement or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
