Throughout March, RCMP in the Province have actively participated in Fraud Prevention Month by releasing a variety of practical tips and information about common scams in order to help the public take steps to prevent being victimized by fraud artists. As Fraud Prevention Month draws to a close, Cpl. Guy-Paul Larocque encourages New Brunswickers to remain alert to the signs of fraud.
In 2009, the top 5 schemes reported in New Brunswick were:
Offer of Service Fraud:
Scammers will offer low interest rate loans or other “too good to be true” financial services as a means of enticing borrowers to provide them with their credit card or other payment information.
Merchandise Fraud:
Scammers may sell a product – often at a very cheap price – just so they can steal your payment card or personal information. They may also take your money and send you a worthless item, or sometimes, nothing at all.
Sale of Merchandise by Complainant:
In this type of scam, you are sent a cheque for something you have sold, but the cheque is made out for more than the agreed amount. The scammer hopes you will refund the extra money before noticing that his cheque has bounced.
Personal Information:
Identity theft can occur over the Internet or telephone, or via fax or regular mail. Therefore, be particularly wary of unsolicited e-mails, telephone calls or mail attempting to extract personal or financial information from you.
Job Scams:
Scammers will post misleading ads, frequently for “Work at Home” job opportunities and then request applicants to pay advance fees in order to begin working. These types of scams may also target personal information such social insurance numbers or other data or trick people into wiring funds or receiving payments that involve the victim in criminal transactions.
To keep abreast of common scams and fraud year-round, please visit the RCMP’s website: Scams and Fraud www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/index-eng.ht
