Police warn of added phone scams during pandemic

By JEREMY APPEL on March 28, 2020.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com@MHNJeremyAppel

The COVID-19 pandemic is an important time to remind the public of people looking to exploit others’ vulnerability via phone scams, police say.

“It looks like it takes a global pandemic to bring out the lowest of the low in scammers,” said Medicine Hat Police Service Staff Sgt. Gerald Sadlemyer, who has been temporarily re-assigned from his traffic duties to help man an additional call centre set up for the pandemic.

He says police have received a “handful of complaints, but not too many so far.”

Scammers have been sending out text messages with a link to find coronavirus test results or to collect their government cheque, in addition to the regular array of scams, Sadlemyer said.

He credits Finance Canada with putting out some strong messaging on that front.

“But as the times get more desperate, you may see an increase in those kinds of conversations people have with these scammers,” said Sadlemyer.

He advises the public to be cautious against unfamiliar messages.

“Don’t share any personal information. Don’t click on any links, whether they come through an email or text from a number you don’t recognize. Block any cellphone numbers that you don’t recognize,” Sadlemyer cautions. “These scammers are pretty aggressive.”

He recalled an instance where police caught a totally unfazed scammer mid-call.

“He did not care one bit. He wanted to visit the transaction and still talk to the lady, even when we were standing in her own home,” said Sadlemyer.