There have been numerous complaints of various types of phone scams targeting residences of the Elk Valley recently.
Elk Valley RCMP officials said fraudsters have been getting more sophisticated in their scams.
According to the RCMP, even if the phone number looks legitimate it still could be a scam, because computer software can replicate any phone number.
Police said the public should never give out their Social Insurance Number or any other personal or banking information over the phone. The public is encouraged to only share sensitive information through verified company contacts and systems.
If you are not sure about the legitimacy of a call, hang up and alert the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
The impact of scams and fraud across Canada. (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre)
- Total scam/fraud statistics (January 1, 2021, to April 3o, 2021):
- Reports – 33,455
- Victims – 19,610
- Money lost – $66.7 Million
- COVID-19 specific scams/fraud (March 6, 2020, to April 30, 2021):
- Reports – 19,570
- Victims – 17,717
- Money lost – $7.26 Million
MORE: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (Government of Canada)Â
**Story by Josiah Spyker**