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By rdnewsNOW Staff

Fraud Prevention Month

Alberta RCMP is bringing awareness to business fraud and scams

Mar 13, 2023 | 3:56 PM

This March, the Alberta RCMP says they will be sharing a variety of tips and resources in support of the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association’s (ACCPA) Fraud Prevention Month campaign.

The campaign, which plans to include a weekly theme, aims to educate Albertans on the many ways that fraudulent activity negatively impacts their communities.

This week, ACCPA and other supporting agencies, including the RCMP, are focusing on business fraud and scams. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Scams targeting businesses and/or businesses targeting consumers
• Businesses targeted by phishing scams and/or phone scams
• Business emails being compromised
• Mortgage fraud
• Money laundering in real estate
• Door to door scams
• Contractor and home repair schemes
• Duct cleaning services
• Unlicensed businesses

To better protect yourself from business fraud and scams, the RCMP suggest to consider the following:

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• Keep personal information private
• Always remember that businesses don’t ask for banking information via phone
• Check the website URL by:
  • Typing the URL into a search engine
  • Looking for the “secure” icon on your search bar
  • Look for any spelling errors and awkward phrasing
  • Check the contact page – which should have multiple options for a legitimate business (email, phone number, live chat, and address).

“Whether you are a member of the public looking for a business or a business owner, you must always be diligent about keeping your personal information private and familiarizing yourself with the warning signs,” said Cpl. Sean Milne, Alberta RCMP Provincial Economic Crime Team.

The RCMP recommends if you are unsure of whether or not you are being targeted by a scam, visit the Government of Canada’s website to learn about common scam-types. If you have been the victim of fraud, they urge you report it to your local law enforcement and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at www.antifraudcentre.ca, or by calling: 1-888-495-8501. They also advise to contact your bank and credit card company if you believe your personal or financial information has been compromised.

For more fraud prevention information and resources, follow us on Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and Twitter @RCMPAlberta.