A St. Albert artist’s recent brush with fraud is, sadly, not uncommon. Fraud continues to target local residents from all walks of life, but fraudsters seem particularly interested in targeting seniors.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, previously known as Phonebusters, states that seniors are attractive targets because they tend to be trusting and polite.
“Seniors are targeted for many reasons: loneliness, lack of family support, age vulnerability and for health-related reasons such as Alzheimer's,” stated the CAFC.
“Seniors are particularly susceptible to fraud schemes because their generation tends to be more trusting and less likely to end conversations. Fraudulent telemarketers build relationships with seniors and gain their trust before victimizing them. Ruined family lives, great financial losses and suicides have resulted from this brutal crime against the elderly.”
Good advice for seniors is to never buy anything over the phone or from a door-to-door sales person before discussing it with family.
Fraudsters have also tried to make money off seniors who are worried about their family members. According to the CAFC, a fraud is quite common that is known as the “loved one emergency scam.”
A criminal will contact a senior and claim to be a grandchild in trouble. the “grandchild” says something to the effect, “I can’t call Mom and Dad, they’ll get angry at me” and plead with the grandparent to send hundreds or thousands of dollars over the Internet or through a money transfer service.
Of course, the fraudster keeps the money and the senior never hears about the situation again.
Summertime is often the time for travelling contractors, some of whom do quality work. Some, however, do not.
These shoddy contractors often target seniors and ask for large cash advances before doing any work. They may often return asking for more money without doing any work at all.
The best way to handle travelling contractors is to ask for their City of St. Albert business license, which is always required for anyone contracting within the city limits. Anyone who cannot produce a business license immediately should politely be asked to leave. Remember, there are plenty of quality local contractors you can find in the phone directory.
There are a number of resources local residents can use to avoid fraud. Check online at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca, or check the City of St. Albert website at www.stalbert.ca. If you feel you’ve been the victim of fraud you should contact the St. Albert RCMP at 780-458-7700.
