March marks 20th anniversary of fraud prevention month

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on March 8, 2024.

With the calendar flipped to March, the Medicine Hat Police Service is reminding residents about the signs and dangers of fraud.

March 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of fraud prevention month in Canada, a month-long initiative aimed at educating and informing consumers and the community on how to recognize, report and stop fraud.

In a release, MHPS says fraud victimizes thousands of Canadians annually resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars being stolen. Police say there are a wide range of scams used by fraudsters and the best way to protect oneself is through education on current trends and remaining skeptical of any situation that appears too good to be true.

“Criminals are constantly changing their tactics and they are becoming more complex in their delivery of the scams,” the release reads.

Throughout March, the Medicine Hat Police Service Community Support Unit will be sharing information for resident on how to recognize and stop themselves from becoming victims of common frauds and scams.

Their focus on the first week of fraud prevention month is online frauds, which they say become more and more prevalent as communication on the internet expands by the day. Police say The reduced face-to-face communication can make it challenging to determine if people are being targeted by a scam.

Some common online frauds include: romance scams, online marketplace scams, lottery/prize scams, computer support or technology repair and employment opportunities.

“Beware of communication from any company that you have not previously been a customer, especially if it is not a local business that you are familiar with,” the release said. “It is recommended that you conduct research on a company prior to hiring them.”

Police remind residents no legitimate company will request someone to send money, gift card codes or deposit into crypto currencies. They recommend The Better Business Bureau is a great resource, as well as word-of-mouth recommendations from trusted friends or family.

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