The number of frauds reported by the city's residents is on the rise.
So far this year, Prince George RCMP has received more than 170 fraud-related reports, up 13 per cent from the 151 received by the same point last year.
And as the fraud prevention month campaign gets going, 44 of them were reported from March 1 to 9, up 63 per cent from the 27 over the same period last year.
RCMP offered two possibilities for the rises - either fraudsters are getting more creative and increasing their success or the public is becoming more educated about frauds and are reporting more incidents to police.
"As much as we hope the answer is the latter, it is likely the former," Prince George RCMP said.
The most common scams reported in 2019 are extortion-type frauds including the taxpayer scam. This is where victims are coerced to pay back taxes under the threat of being arrested.
Variations also include scams involving immigration, ransomware and sextortion.
In order to avoid tax scams, remember the following general words of advice:
- Do not take immediate action. The government has processes in place to acquire owed money, none of which are immediate;
- Know who you are dealing with. Obtain their contact information and search it on the internet. Often the contact info will be associated to frauds and not the CRA. This is a clear warning that this is not legitimate;
- Hang-up and call the Canada Revenue Agency's (or other government agency) toll-free phone number in the Blue Pages of the phone book or from their website, www.cra-arc.gc.ca.
- Never give your personal information to anyone that calls you over the phone. This is especially the case when an organization such as the Canada Revenue Agency calls and should have all your necessary information already;
- Never agree to wire back funds to the government.
For more information about frauds and scams involving the CRA visit the Canada Revenue Agency web page at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/scrty/frdprvntn/menu-eng.html.
Frauds involving personal information were the second-most reported type last year.
This is where scammers contact would-be victims by email or phone pretending to be a business, bank, utility company, government agency or other organization urgently requesting personal information such as name, address, birthday, bank account information and social insurance number.
Once provided, the scammer can steal the victim's identity and acquire credit cards and loans in the victim's name.
For a full list of the top frauds in Canada and for general tips on protecting yourself from scams and frauds go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website, www.antifraudcentre.ca.
If you have any information about fraud offences in Prince George, contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300.
