Date: March 30
File: N/A
As Fraud Prevention month comes to an end, the Saanich Police would like to remind the public about recent frauds that have occurred and some tips to protect yourself, friends and loved ones from falling victim to these crimes.
In one case, a victim purchased TV projectors from individuals selling them from the back of a van. The projectors were later discovered to be low-quality knock-offs and not as advertised, which is a common, on-going scam now for several years.
“Purchase your electronics from certified retailers and if the deal is too good to be true then it usually is. Check the item inside the box to ensure it matches the advertising on the label. We have seen these scams include other electronics, such as televisions and sound systems over the years.”
Bitcoin scams continue to be reported in Saanich. These criminals direct their victims to withdraw money from their bank accounts and then deposit the cash into Bitcoin machines. They often have step-by-step instructions on how to do this, can use threats to intimidate their victims, and will be aggressive and harassing with their demands.
The deposit, withdraw and transfer fraud is another common one that is often reported to the police. The victim is contacted, usually by phone or email, and sent money in the form of a bank draft. The scammer then asks the victim to send back a portion of the money, however, the scam is that the bank draft is not valid and the victim ends up sending money directly to the fraudster. While many of these originate from overseas, we still encourage those that fall victim to these scams to contact their local police to report them. Additionally, reporting and resources can be found at the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC).
To report frauds, please contact the Saanich Police at 250-475-4321 and the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or by visiting their website and to report online.
Cst. Markus Anastasiades
Public Information and Communications Officer