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March Is Fraud Prevention Month
March 10, 2010, Simcoe, Ontario - Believe it or not, your risk of becoming a fraud victim is not linked to your age, ethnicity, income or geographic location. Scammers don’t care about any of that. They’re professional criminals and they just want your money. Thousands of Canadians are defrauded every year and with March being proclaimed national “fraud prevention month,” Crime Stoppers wants to re-enforce the importance of knowing how to protect yourself.
What you can do?
Be cautious. You have the right to check out any caller or solicitor by requesting written information, a call back number, references and time to think over the offer. Legitimate business people will be happy to provide you with that information. When checking out the legitimacy of any caller or business, be sure to check with and rely on people that you trust – a relative, close friend or even your banker or lawyer.
Never give out confidential personal information, especially banking or credit card details and always be leery of false promises.
Remember, if you have doubts, your best defence is to simply hang up the phone, delete the email or close the door. It's not rude - it's smart.
There are many reputable resources for learning more about how to recognize and stop fraud. Organizations such as the Ontario Provincial Police (www.opp.ca), Phone Busters (www.phonebusters.com) and the Competition Bureau of Canada (www.competitionbureau.gc.ca) all offer tips and information to help people recognize fraud, stop it and report it.
If you have any information about fraudulent crime or any crime occurring in your community, contact Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers of Haldimand, Norfolk and Tillsonburg is a community based organization which provides people with an anonymous, confidential way to relay information to investigators without ever having to get involved as a witness. The program’s toll free 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) line and online webtips (www.helpsolvecrime.com) are operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week and cash rewards up to $2000 are offered for information that helps to solve a case.