The RCMP in Cold Lake is sending out a warning this holiday season. Police say acts of fraud and theft do seem to happen a little more frequently around Christmas. Constable Dave Hart of the Cold Lake RCMP says already his team has seen a few online scams reported.
“We just want to let the public be aware that we have had a couple reports of [fraud]. Specifically, through some of the social media buy and sell pages.”
A common scam is a buyer sending a check with more than the agreed price, then asking for the difference. Hart says the check is usually fraudulent to begin with.
“That’s a red flag if anyone is paying more than they’re asking and then asking for money back.”
The RCMP also says to keep an eye out for your parcels. Police in Edmonton say they had at least 17 complaints of stolen packages in the month of November. Hart says the Lakeland can also stay sharp when it comes to receiving packages.
“Get your tracking number. Try to keep tabs on when it’s here. When it’s expected due date, try to make sure someone is home.”