A Moment with the Mayor: Scams

The threat of activity aimed at each one of us continues to grow each day. The good old days, when a “handshake” was all you needed, have changed dramatically. A handshake is a very important step in the process for many of us, but at the end of the day, please ensure that you are guarding yourself and your personal information.

I’ve been made aware of several different scams people have been exposed to, some seeking money and others personal information, including bank account numbers, addresses and business information. The RCMP often puts out warnings and alerts for situations that have been brought to their attention. 

A recent yet ongoing issue is calls or emails that appear to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) demanding you pay immediately or the police will be sent to arrest you for your overdue taxes and fines. These intimidation calls often catch people off guard, especially during personal tax season. This tip from the CRA website is helpful.

It’s just as important to know what the CRA won’t do when contacting you. The CRA will never demand immediate payment through e-transfer, cryptocurrency, prepaid credit cards or gift cards. Our call centre agents won’t threaten you with arrest, deportation or sending the police. The CRA doesn’t leave voicemails that include personal or financial information, and we will never email or text you a link to your refund.

Another recent phone scam involves being contacted by a “family member” who requires bail money or hospital treatment. Technology advances have made it so that it may even sound like you are talking to a loved one. One suggestion is to take down the caller's phone number and then follow up with others to confirm the details to make sure the call is actually from a loved one.

Municipalities are not immune to various scams or phishing incidents, and these tend to seek money and/or information. A recent example was a contractor working for the City of Saskatoon on a regular basis who had a serious problem arise. The city finance department received a note from the contractor advising that they had changed banks and provided the city with new bank account information for payments to be forwarded to. Everything appeared normal until the local contractor was not receiving payment for the invoices sent to the city. After a serious long investigation by the Saskatoon Police Service, the matter was finally resolved.

In today’s world of email, online banking and electronic fund transfer, criminals are continually looking for the opportunity to develop trust and commit a crime that harms you. Please be on your guard.

Mayor Gerald S. Aalbers
City of Lloydminster