By TERRY PUGH
Every two days, on average, a resident within the Warman-Martensville RCMP detachment area is being robbed by a scam artist.
And according to Warman RCMP Staff Sergeant Jason Teniuk, the accumulated losses suffered by victims over the last several years amount to millions of dollars.
“In 2024, we investigated 182 reported frauds in our detachment area,” said Teniuk in an interview May 26. “In 2023, there were 148 reported frauds. Year over year we’re seeing a 10 per cent increase, and I anticipate that upward trend will continue because it’s such a lucrative business for criminals.”
But, he added, there is a way to turn things around.
“This type of crime is so persistent and so prevalent that there’s no way we can arrest and charge our way out of this,” said Teniuk. “The only solution is to prevent these scams and frauds from happening, and that involves educating the public so that they can recognize the red flags when they pop up.”
Teniuk said frauds and scams are a very serious problem, not just in this region, but country-wide. But, he adds, police resources are already stretched thin, and officers have to prioritize their investigations as they deal with assaults, property crimes, traffic and emergency situations. Fraud investigations are labour-intensive and require countless hours of work; often with disappointing results because cyber-criminals move stolen money to other countries before it can be recovered.
Teniuk said the police have greater success when people who suspect they’re being conned contact the RCMP first.
“I’d rather spend five minutes with you to spot a scam than actually investigate a large-scale theft,” said Teniuk. “Another good resource is to go to your financial institution. The people that work there are an excellent resource, and they don’t miss much.”
Tapping into other resources and connecting them with the public is one way the police can help residents hold onto their hard-earned cash.
“When I see people lose their life savings to scams, that just kills me, “ said Teniuk. “So we’ve taken steps in our detachment to work with the financial institutions and city councils to set up a task force to educate the public and prevent these crimes from happening. What I’d like to see is people discussing this stuff with their family and friends and passing on what they learn to others.”
To kick-start the fraud prevention campaign, a series of public education meetings are slated for area communities over the next few weeks. The Warman-Martensville RCMP detachment has teamed up with resource people from Affinity Credit Union and the Royal Bank, as well as city and town councillors to explain how to recognize scams, and how to protect yourself against them.
The first of these public meetings takes place Wednesday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Asquith Seniors Centre.
That’s followed by a public meeting on Monday, June 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Osler Senior Centre.
A public meeting in Warman is slated for Wednesday, June 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the Brian King Centre.
A public meeting in Martensville is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24 at 7:00 p.m. at the North Ridge Centennial Community Centre.
Teniuk said while scams are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, particularly with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) videos and photos, there are many things they have in common.
“There are ways to spot a scam,” said Teniuk. “One is they pressure you to act immediately and not contact anyone else.
“Another is they want you to make payments via wire transfer or gift cards. They could also be unsolicited requests via text or email asking for your personal financial information.
“They could use scare tactics to intimidate you into providing personal information; or they could offer you something that’s too good to be true.”
He said one of the most common scams in this region is the so-called ‘Grandparent Scam’ where a senior is hoodwinked into thinking that a grandchild is in distress, such as a medical emergency or unjustly arrested in a foreign country, and they need to have a large amount of money sent in order to save them.
“The best way to protect yourself is: don’t panic, take your time before making a decision, contact a trusted friend or relative to get their advice, and don’t be intimidated or scared,” said Teniuk. “Be skeptical. There is no real emergency where you would have to provide a large sum of money on the spur of the moment. Take an hour and think about what’s going on.”
And when push comes to shove, don’t be afraid to be rude to scammers, said Teniuk.
“We’re known as a polite country, and people don’t like to be rude,” he said. “But at some point you have to be.”