RCMP warning the public about springtime scams

Spring is in the air and unfortunately so are the scams.

North Okanagan RCMP are reminding the public about a handful of scams that are popular at this time of year.

The first is the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) scam, in which a person is contacted by phone and told they owe thousands of dollars to the CRA and threatened with jail time if they don’t pay up. Targets are typically instructed to purchased iTunes cards, activate them and provide the codes to the fraudsters.

The second is the Emergency scam, typically aimed at grandparents. The con artists calls the victim, pretending to be a grandchild in need. Usually they claim to have been in a car accident, need bail money or some other urgent emergency, telling the victim not to tell anyone due to embarrassment or fear.

The final one is the prize scam, in which the con-artist contacts a victim by phone, social media or e-mail, informing them that they’ve won a large lottery or sweepstake. The victim is then told they must pay a fee up front to claim the winning, or provide bank information to transfer the money. Fraudsters take the fee or bank information and obviously don’t provide the victim with their “winnings”.

It may seem simple, the RCMP suggest these tips for protecting yourself from scams.

• If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
• No matter who you think is calling, never give out personal information over the phone.
• Remember, the CRA uses registered mail to contact consumers- not email or phone.
• Use your common sense. For example, ask yourself why a branch of the government would want iTunes cards?
• If someone contacts you allegedly from a company, hang up and contact the company yourself to verify the information.
• When in doubt, discuss it with a friend. Never rush into a decision because someone is pressuring you.

If you do falls victim to a scam, you should report the incident to your local police and contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.