Police: Scammers swindle B.C. residents out of tens of thousands of dollars

Police in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada are warning residents of a rising scam, known variably as the “broken phone scam” or “emergency scam”. This involves a supposed relative sending a text message that their cellular device has been damaged and they need money urgently for a new one or repairs. The scammer would provide an alternative phone number for victims to send money. It was warned that potential victims should verify this with another family member before sending any money and avoid immediate requests for funds.

The RCMP in North Vancouver have received three reports from victims of this scam. Estimated total losses from these cases are at $8,768. Scammers usually pretend to be family members to lure victims into their scams. The RCMP have advised residents to always verify requests for money and to trust their instincts about suspected scams.

An ongoing gift-card scam is also a cause for concern. The swindler claims to be from the victim’s financial institution, notifying them that their account has been breached. The scammer offers a ‘solution’ to the supposed compromise by asking for prepaid gift cards. Once the victims share the 10-digit codes on these cards, the fraudsters can then use them. Residents have been warned that reputable companies will never ask for bills or debts to be settled via gift card purchases.

There have been instances of scammers showing no limit to their creativity when targeting victims. For instance, a resident lost $72,000 after revealing their banking information to a fraudulent company. In another case, a resident believed they had won $25 million, sending several thousand dollars to the fraudsters thinking they were paying necessary taxes on their ‘prize’. More so, another resident lost $3,000 to a Bitcoin scam, with cumulative losses from reported victims reaching nearly $500,000.

Those who have fallen prey to such frauds are strongly urged to report the matter to the police and to get in touch with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Being vigilant and suspicious of offers that seem too good to be true can be an effective way of avoiding falling for such scams. In general, verifying from reliable sources is always a safe bet.