The variety and sophistication of phone and internet scams is increasing daily, and people need to watch for telltale signs so they aren’t taken in by fraud artists, according to Warman-Martensville RCMP Staff Sergeant Jason Teniuk.
“Scams are very hard to investigate and it’s often impossible for victims to get their money back,” said Teniuk during a public town hall meeting in Warman on Wednesday, November 1, one of five town hall meetings held in early November in five area communities. “One of the big difficulties is that scams change and evolve so quickly. And fraudsters can be very convincing. They’re also very persistent and can get quite aggressive.
“This is an area that is a real thorn in the side for police, because these scam artists target vulnerable people and they only care about getting money. They don’t care who gets hurt.”
But, there are common themes in all these types of scams that serve as red flags to alert potential victims, said Teniuk. The scammer will pressure you to make a decision in a hurry, and will tell you to keep it secret.
“If they ask for your personal information; if they try to convince you that you need to hand over money in order to collect a prize or bail a relative out of jail; if they want you to pay a bill or invoice with a pre-paid Visa card or gift card of some sort, then it’s a scam,” said Teniuk. “It’s 100 per cent scam.”
Teniuk encouraged people who are unsure about whether something is a scam to check with family and friends, or contact the RCMP.
“If you’re a bit suspicious, ask the person who’s making you the offer to meet you in person. That’s a good way to get rid of people quickly. Tell them to meet you at the local RCMP detachment office. If they won’t meet with you in person and will only deal with you over the phone, it’s a scam.”
He said it’s okay to be rude to a scammer.
“Don’t worry about being polite to these people,” he said. “Just hang up.”
During a town hall meeting in Martensville on Wednesday, November 8, Teniuk said scam phone calls are pervasive.
“I’m sure everyone in this room has gotten those types of calls,” said Teniuk. “Just today alone, we had inquiries from ten people who were targeted by scammers. We’re happy to take those inquiries. It’s a lot better to check with us before you are taken in by a fraud artist.”
He said scammers often claim to be government officials or police officers, and they can be quite convincing, so people shouldn’t be hesitant about contact the police directly to double-check. The Warman RCMP detachment office phone number is 306-975-1670. The Martensville RCMP detachment office is 306-975-1610. The detachment also has offices in Delisle and Radisson. Non-emergency calls to the RCMP can be made anywhere in Saskatchewan by calling 310-RCMP (310-7267). (In emergency situations, call 911.)
“A little sober second thought will save you a lot of heartache,” he said. “And our paperwork investigating a fraud after the fact is astronomically higher than if you call as an inquiry beforehand.”
He gave an example of a woman who stopped in at the Warman RCMP detachment office with $9,000 in cash. She had received a call that a relative was being held in a jail cell at the detachment office, and that bail for that person was $9,000. The caller had directed her to pay through a Western Union money transfer kiosk in Saskatoon. But, instead, she went directly to the RCMP with the cash.
“Thank goodness she came to us,” said Teniuk. “We explained it was a scam and sorted things out for her. We don’t have any cells in Warman and Martensville, and we don’t phone people and make threats.”