If a financial offer is made to you that is too good to be true……. then it usually is too good to be true advises the RCMP.

How to Protect Yourself

Never give cash to someone you don’t know or are meeting for the first time.

Financial institutions will never solicit assistance from you for internal investigation.

Contact police or the financial institution immediately to verify the telephone call you received.

If you think* you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud please contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre 1-888-495-8501 or www.antifraudcentre.ca

March is Fraud Awareness Month.  The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) warns consumers and businesses to be on the lookout for a variety scams targeting senior citizens in our communities.  The scammers are practiced con men that use tactics to befriend, gain trust and even scare seniors into parting with their money, in some cases their life savings. Here are 3 prominent scams affecting seniors today:

(1) The “Emergency – Grand Parent Scam” which is aimed at persuading seniors to believe a family member or friend is in trouble and in need of financial aid.

(2) The “Prize Scam” which targets seniors into believing they have won a lottery/sweepstakes.

(3) The “Bank Inspector Scam” targets seniors into verifying a possible fraudulent cashier at a bank by withdrawing funds for a supposed investigator.