The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Vancouver Island and the Victoria Police Department are teaming up for the month of March to educate consumers and businesses on how to protect themselves from becoming the victims of scams that commonly target Vancouver Island.
“March is Fraud Prevention Month,” says Rosalind Scott, Executive Director of BBB Vancouver Island. “This year we are partnering with the Victoria Police Department, as well as local and national private sector firms, consumer and volunteer groups, government agencies and other law enforcement organizations to inform people about the main scams impacting our region.”
The general theme of Fraud Prevention Month this year is Recognizing the Patterns of Fraud.
“While each scam has a different appearance at the outset, almost every fraud contains the same elements,” says Scott. “Most scams play on people’s emotions, their greed or vanity and their purse strings. Once you are able to identify the common characteristics of a scam you are more likely to be able to protect yourself from becoming a victim.”
While incidences of identity theft itself have declined over the past couple of years, the impacts of fraud on Vancouver Island continue.
“The financial abuse of elders is a real concern of ours in the Victoria area, and in other communities on Vancouver Island,” says Detective Rick Anthony of the Victoria Police Department. “We are continually receiving reports of family members, home care workers and scam artists taking advantage of the elderly.”
The BBB and Victoria Police Departments focus this month will be on providing helpful tips, tools and resources to consumers, businesses, students and seniors on how to protect themselves from becoming a victim of:
• Financial elder abuse;
• Online classified ads and auctions;
• Get rich quick schemes; and
• Credit Card and ATM fraud.
Media are invited contact Rosalind Scott (250.386.6348 ext 106 or rosalindscott@vi.bbb.org) to schedule an interview during the month of March with both the BBB and Victoria Police Department to further discuss one of the above (or any other fraud related) topic.
For more information on FraudPrevention Month or for updates on fraud related topics this month visit vi.bbb.org/fraud-prevention-month or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at phonebusters.com
For more informationabout the BBB visit vi.bbb.org.
For more information about the Victoria Police Department visit vicpd.ca.