Attempted scams via text, landline & cellphone calls, emails and online are seemingly never-ending (PxFuel)

By Ian Holmes

fraudsters

‘Don’t act in isolation:’ Oceanside Mounties warn of continues scams victimizing locals

Jun 28, 2024 | 2:24 PM

PARKSVILLE — Scams continually hitting a wide range of people in the Oceanside area has local police trying to be proactive through increased awareness.

In the first week of June, four complaints to the Oceanside RCMP detachment saw nearly $12,000 vanished, two of which resulted from people clicking on pop-up ads and then surrendering money.

Oceanside RCMP Sgt. Shane Worth said their detachment gets in the range six to a dozen such complaints weekly, noting in some cases the complainants weren’t duped, but wanted police to be aware.

He said their officers have seen many cases of spam emails and online pop-up ads leading to all kinds of problems on top of financial losses.

“They click on the link and the next thing you know there’s malware in their computer and then the fraudster has access to your computer, they’re able to see all your personal information, your names, social insurance number, addresses, birthdates and passwords.”

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Known as the grandson scam, Sgt. Worth said a distressed caller pretending to be a son who’s in custody and requires cash bail is a long-running ruse still being deployed locally.

He noted elderly victims with landlines tend to be the targets.

“Don’t act in isolation, when fraudsters tell you not to tell anybody, ‘don’t tell your friends, don’t tell your kids,’ that’s a red flag, if you think something is not right, ask someone, tell someone.”

Sgt. Worth said their officers speak to senior groups several times a year to warn them about various types of scams.

Emotionally invested Oceanside area victims on dating apps are occasionally drained of tens of thousands of dollars, Sgt. Worth noted.

People of all ages in the Oceanside area fall victim to scams, Worth said.

A trend Oceanside RCMP have noticed is people losing money on the popular Facebook Marketplace service.

“They pay the person up front before seeing the item they want to buy in-person because they want the product so bad, then they’re ghosted by the seller on Facebook.”

Various types of crypto scams involve victims losing digital currency to recruiters with fake or misleading job offers, Worth noted.

In other cases a person over the phone pretending to represent a bank has gained people’s account numbers and defrauded funds.

Sgt. Worth said online and phone scams resulting in financial losses and compromised personal information are often complex crimes to solve.

He said seasoned scammers know how to hide their identities, including with the use of internet based phone numbers and shielded IP addresses.

“Because it’s so difficult for us to determine who’s doing it that’s why we’re trying to get the word out on prevention and awareness,” Sgt. Worth said.

Incidents of fraud can be reported to your local police department, and complainants are also encouraged to file a report with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

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Ian.holmes@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes