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Crime Prevention
Better
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Crime | Drugs | Personal
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Fraud
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Better
Business Bureau Statistics |
Top 10 SCAMS of 2007
(Courtesy of the Better Business Bureau)
1. Prize Pitches with a Catch
By now you should know the drill - some sweet-talking person
calls or writes to you claiming you have won some great prize,
such as an all-expenses paid trip or a huge sum of cash. The
only thing is that you must send them money, be available for a
home delivery or a special presentation, or provide them with
some very personal information such as your bank account number.
In the end, you don’t get the prize and the scammer gets your
money with little or no chance that you will get it back.
There’s a chance for a ‘sequel’ to this scam – in a “Recovery
Pitch,” the scammer takes this a step further. He has the money
and now he wants more by calling previous victims telling them
he’s law enforcement and that he’s found the victims’ money, but
of course the victims have to send money to get their money
back.
QUICK TIP: If there’s a catch or condition, you haven’t won. If
it sounds too good to be true, or you’re not sure, check the
offer out further. Contact your BBB at 604-682-2711 or
1-888-803-1222. If you think it’s fraud, call the Canadian
Anti-Fraud Call Centre, PhoneBusters, at 1-888-495-8501. To be
removed from telephone calling lists or mailing lists of
companies that belong to the Canadian Marketing Association,
call 1-416-391-2362.
2. Cheque Overpayment Schemes
In this scam, fraudsters typically target people selling a
product through classified ads, online bulletin boards or people
looking for work on employment postings. The scammer sends a
cheque for the listed product or service that is more than the
negotiated price. The original cheque is usually stolen or is
bogus, and by the time the victim has cashed and returned the
excess funds, the scammer has disappeared with the money and the
product.
Another cheque overpayment scheme can be under the guise of
working as a mystery shopper. The victim believes that they will
be paid to mystery shop a wire-transfer service. They are sent a
cheque, told to deposit it, keep a small percentage of the money
as their wage, wire the rest, and then complete the survey on
the service they encounter. The address turns out to be bogus,
the money wire-transferred to another unknown location and the
victim is out the money transferred.
QUICK TIP: Never accept payment for more than your selling
price. Never agree to refund the excess to a buyer or
wire-transfer money to another location. A legitimate buyer or
employer would never ask you to do so. Consider using an
independent online payment service. Speak to your credit card
service provider to determine what avenues it has to guarantee
payment processing.
3. Door-to-Door Marketing
They come to your door uninvited, offering to renovate, to
repair, to sell you a great deal on a product that turns out to
be overpriced or lacking in quality, or they request your help
in contributing to a worthwhile cause. Consumer complaints about
high pressure and misleading sales practices of some
door-to-door sales people, including gas marketers, put this
topic on the list. Be very careful when agreeing to do business
with a door-to-door contractor or salesperson.
QUICK TIP: Know what you need and take the time to do your
research. Any legitimate salesperson or contractor will give you
the time to make the best decision. Start with the BBB (www.bbb.org)
to check the business out. Gas marketers must be registered
through the BC Utilities Commission (www.bcuc.com). You may have
cancellation rights when dealing with door-to-door contracts;
contact the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority
of BC toll-free at 1-888-564-9963 or visit www.bpcpa.ca for
further information.
4. ID Theft
What do social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace have
in common with unsolicited e-mails, PIN Pad machines and credit
card skimmers? They are all being used as a means to steal your
personal information for fraud. Whether you innocently set up a
detailed profile on a website that anyone can access, respond to
“phishing” emails, click on a link to access what appears to be
your bank or another reputable agency, or respond to an
unsolicited call, by providing personal information you could
inadvertently be giving a criminal your identity. A recent
survey indicated that 28% of Canadians knew someone who was a
victim of identity theft.
QUICK TIP: Control your information – limit what information you
provide on websites, and shred any documents that contain your
personal information. Never give out banking, credit card or
other personal information to someone who has contacted you.
Make sure to check your credit report annually with Equifax
(1-800-465-7166 or www.equifax.ca) and Trans Union Canada
(1-866-525-0262 or www.tuc.ca.) For more information about
identity theft, go to: www.bccpa.org/crimeshield/consumers/identitytheft.html.
5. Advance Fee Loans
Looking to borrow a little extra cash? You have probably read a
classified ad or an online pop-up that provides you the
opportunity to borrow thousands of dollars despite your credit
rating. If so, did it also state that it will only cost you a
small fee to do this? Before you jump up and send in that
processing fee or security deposit, be warned that this is
likely a scam and advance fee loans are illegal in Canada. You
should never have to pay cash in advance for a loan. Many people
have filled out their application for their loan, sent in their
hard-earned money and then have never heard back from the
company. Now, the consumer is out the anticipated “pre-approved”
loan but also the processing fee as well.
QUICK TIP: Never pay money to get money. If it is a legitimate
loan or lender, the fee will be added to the total amount owed
on the loan as required by BC consumer protection laws. For
information about disclosure requirements when you are applying
for a personal loan in BC, contact the Business Practices and
Consumer Protection Authority (BPCPA) of BC toll-free at
1-888-564-9963 or visit www.bpcpa.ca.
6. Health Claims and Cure Alls
Beware of too-good-to-be-true advertisements claiming “rapid”
and “effortless” weight loss, stop smoking or “miracle cures”
with “newly discovered” treatments for disease and illness.
These scams may put your health at risk if proper medical
treatment is delayed or compromised.
QUICK TIP: Before buying any treatment or medication, consult
your physician, pharmacist or other health care professional.
Any product that has weight-loss properties must have a Drug
Identification Number. Confirm its authenticity by contacting
Health Canada (www.hc-sc.gc.ca). Report any bogus health and
wellness claims to the Competition Bureau of Canada at
1-800-348-5358 or at www.competitionbureau.gc.ca
7. Guaranteed Vehicle Brokers
After listing your used vehicle for sale in the classifieds, you
receive a call advising you that they have a purchaser for your
vehicle. They ask for a fee guaranteeing that the purchaser
will pay more than the vehicle is advertised for or they will
list your vehicle on their classified site with the promise that
if the vehicle is not sold for more within 90 days, you will get
your money back.
Your vehicle is not sold, the guarantees are not followed
through and you are out of pocket the funds you have given this
company.
QUICK TIP: The BBB advises consumers to be wary of brokers who
“guarantee” auto sales with prearranged buyers. Ask detailed
questions such as: is the buyer specifically interested in your
vehicle, rather than a range of similar vehicles? Always
understand telemarketing offers and ask for additional
documentation. Check to see if the telemarketing company is
licensed through the Business Practices and Consumer Protection
Authority of BC at www.bpcpa.ca or 1-888-564-9963.
8. Bogus Credit Offers
Promising substantial lower interest rates on credit card debt,
these offers appear to be a legitimate debt consolidation or
counseling service. The catch is that they ask for a substantial
fee to help you reduce your debt. In exchange, they promise to
contact your credit card companies to negotiate lower interest
rates on your credit cards.
In reality, the company sends you information on how you can
lower your interest rates by contacting your credit card
companies directly and negotiating. In some situations, the
consumer is not even eligible or able to use these services.
QUICK TIP: If you have credit problems, you can improve your
credit profile on your own at no charge or consult with local
services that offer debt counseling and other related services.
If considering such an offer, understand what services the debt
consolidation company is providing and get these terms and
conditions in writing. If the company will be collecting funds
from you and making payment on your behalf, ensure that they are
properly licensed through the Business Practices and Consumer
Protection Authority of BC (www.bpcpa.ca).
9. Unscrupulous Moving Practices
Some moving companies have unethical practices that tarnish the
industry: charging hidden fees or providing low estimates and
then, at delivery, charging more or holding your goods in
storage until you pay.
QUICK TIP: Have the moving company provide a detailed estimate
in writing and request a firm quote. Check the company out with
the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org). Find out what
protection the company will provide you in the case of damaged
or missing items and make sure that this information is added to
your written agreement.
10. Affinity Fraud
In about half of all investment frauds, scam artists will target
religious, ethnic, or close-knit community groups by gaining
trust and encouraging group members to invest their funds in
fake investment opportunities that promise guaranteed high
returns, tax breaks and little financial risk.
QUICK TIP: Know the red flags of investing. Know what to look
out for and how to invest. Select an investment professional
that meets your needs. Visit the Investright.org website for
information on how to select an advisor and what to look out for
when choosing to invest.
The bait
car program was launched in September of 2002. A
bait car is a vehicle owned by the police and is
intended to be stolen. After a bait car is stolen, the
location, speed, and direction of travel of the vehicle
is monitored by police dispatchers at E-Comm through GPS
tracking. Everything that takes place inside the bait
car is caught on audio and video. The dispatcher will
coordinate a police response and once officers are in
position behind the bait car, the engine will be
disabled at the click of a mouse button which allows for
the quick arrest of the car thieves. Visit
www.baitcar.com for
more information. Some of the best methods to stop
auto theft is to prevent is before it happens. By
using an anti theft device such as a steering wheel
lock, a car alarm, or the most preferred device, an
immobilizer, you can prevent your car from being a
target. ICBC has 10 tips to help avoid auto crime.
Click on the above TOP 10 poster to view a list of the Top
10 items stolen from vehicles
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Illegal
and Controlled Substances
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Illegal substances are a problem that the police
deal with on a daily basis. Many drug
users are addicted to these illegal substances
and can't find the help and courage they need to
beat their habit. One way to decrease the
amount of drugs on our streets is to catch the
individuals involved in making and distributing
these drugs. If you know of a possible
Marijuana Grow-op, or Substance producing or
distributing home in your neighbourhood, please
call the Vancouver Police Growbusters number
at 604-717-3456. All calls are anonymous.
You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS
or
Click Here to leave an anonymous tip online.
These grow-ops can pose a risk to neighbours.
Many homes that have grow-ops in them catch fire
due to the amount of electricity required to run
these operations. Here are a few tips you
can use to detect a grow-op in your
neighbourhood. |
1. People are
noticed coming and going from the residence quite frequently,
sometimes for very short visits.
2. You may
notice a skunk smell coming from the home
3. Electrical
cords running outside of the building into doors or windows
4. The residents
of the home don't make an attempt to get to know the neighbours.
5. Windows are
covered up and condensation can sometimes be noticed on the windows.
6. Extra
security around the building such as metal window or door guards,
large fence, dogs, security cameras, etc.
Courtesy of the
Vancouver Police
Department, here are some tips to keep yourself safe while
walking in your neighbourhood.
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Bring a cell
phone along if you have one. This way you can always call for
help without having to look for a phone.
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Stay alert,
stand tall and be confident. Attackers are more likely to molest
a person who appears uncertain or afraid.
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Carry cash and
valuables in a front or inside pocket to reduce the attraction
for muggers. If you do need to carry a purse or bag of some
sort, consider using a fanny pack.
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Avoid carrying
large sums of cash, but if you have to, be discreet about it.
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If you wish to
give someone spare change, never pull out your wallet or open
your purse, take change out of your pocket instead.
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Use well-lit
streets, stay to the middle of the sidewalk and avoid alleyways.
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Approach
shadowy doorways, shrubbery, or anything that someone could hide
behind with extra caution.
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If you feel
uneasy walking alone, find someone you know who will go out with
you, or plan your route along busy streets so that there are
always people around you.
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If you think
someone is following you, cross the street and turn to walk in
the opposite direction to get a good look at them and then go
find the nearest place to alert the authorities.
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If you think a
car is following you, immediately do a U turn, take note of the
driver and license plate number, continue to walk in the
opposite direction and call the authorities from the nearest
possible location.
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Carry a
whistle or personal safety alarm so you can alert others if you
are attacked.
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Do not carry a
weapon, even for self-defense. Most policemen killed in the line
of duty are done so with their own weapon, even though they are
trained in their use. If you are assaulted, introducing a weapon
will only increase the severity of the attack, and increase the
chance of severe injury to yourself. Carrying a weapon also
creates the chance of you or someone else being accidentally
hurt, for which you would be held responsible.
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If you are
verbally harassed do not respond keep walking and notify the
nearest authority.
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How to Keep your Identity and Financial Information Secure
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Take
a read of the following tips. This information comes from a
corporate attorney who sent this out to his employees.
1. The next
time you order cheques have only your initials (instead of First
name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your Cheque book,
they will not know if you sign your cheque with just your Initials
or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your
Cheques.
2 . When you
are writing cheques to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put
the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the
last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the
number and anyone who might be handling your cheque as it passes
through all the cheque processing channels won't have access to it.
3. Put your
work phone # on your cheques instead of your home phone. If you have
a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a
PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SIN# printed on your
cheques. You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have
it printed, anyone can get it.
4. Place the
contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of
each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your
wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and
cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.
I also carry a
photocopy of my passport when traveling either here or abroad. We've
all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in
stealing a name, Address, SIN, credit cards.
Unfortunately,
I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was
stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive
monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a
credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a
PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online,
and
more. But
here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this
happens to you or someone you know:
1. We have been
told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is
having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know
whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
2. File a
police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit
cards, etc. were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were
diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there
ever is one). But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I
never even thought to do this.)
3. Call the two
national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud
alert on your name and Social Insurance number. I had never heard of
doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an
application for credit was made over the Internet in my name.
The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your
information
was stolen, and
they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the
time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all
the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit
checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew
about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has
been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away. This weekend
(someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their
tracks.
Now, here are
the numbers you always need to contact when your wallet,
S.I.N., etc.
has been stolen:
1.) Equifax
Canada: 1-877-249-2705
2.) Trans
Union: 1-877-525-3823
Visit
www.fincrime.org
for information on financial crime and what you can do to prevent
yourself from being a target. The Better Business Bureau of
Mainland B.C. lists the following 10 schemes as the top 10 scams in
B.C.
1. Internet
Fraud
2. Identity
Theft
3. Fraudulent
Telemarketing
4. Cheque/Overpayment
Schemes
5. Home Repair
Scams
6. Unscrupulous
Moving Practices
7. Bogus Health
and Wellness Claims
8. Bogus
Charities
9. Deceptive
Vacation Schemes
10. Lottery and
Sweepstake Fraud
Click Here to find out more details on how you can prevent
yourself from becoming a victim of these top 10 scams.
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