In support of the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association Fraud Prevention Month campaign, the Alberta RCMP is gearing up to educate Albertans on the various forms of fraudulent activity and how to protect themselves.
This month-long campaign, which focuses on different weekly themes, aims to raise awareness about the impact of fraud on communities. This week’s theme spotlights online scams and frauds, encompassing a range of deceptive practices, including romance scams, phishing emails, job scams, buy-and-sell fraud, lottery and prize scams, and impersonation scams.
To defend against these threats, the Alberta RCMP advises individuals to take several protective measures. Use strong and unique passwords for online accounts, become familiar with phishing emails’ seven major red flags, and educate yourself on safeguarding your finances from cybercriminals by implementing secure banking and online transaction practices.
“As technology evolves, scammers are constantly devising new tactics to appear legitimate and deceive their targets. By empowering Canadians with knowledge on securing their accounts, devices, and digital connections, we can thwart these online threats,” stated Cpl. Sean Milne from the Alberta RCMP Provincial Financial Crime Team.
Should you suspect that you have fallen victim to fraud or are currently being targeted, the Alberta RCMP urges you to report the incident to your local law enforcement agency and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-88-495-8501. Also, cases of compromised personal or financial information should be promptly reported to your bank and credit card company.
Individuals are encouraged to visit the CAFC’s scam webpage to gain further insight into various frauds and scams.