North Vancouver RCMP warn of scam targeting seniors
North Vancouver RCMP have noticed a recent spike in fraud targeting seniors.
On May 15, 2025, police say an older woman was contacted by someone impersonating a financial institution fraud investigator. The woman was told that fraudulent purchases had been made on her account and that the chips on her cards had to be checked.
She then handed them over to someone who visited her residence and claimed to be from her bank. She reported the incident to the police and her financial institution once she realized there were $23,000 in fraudulent charges on her account.
"We continue to repeat our warnings, but we don't mind being a broken record. We need would-be targets to know how to recognize these scams," said Cpl. Mansoor Sahak of the North Vancouver RCMP in a news release.
"We also need friends, family, neighbours, anyone who interacts with the elderly or those who are new to Canada to tell them about these scams, how to recognize them, and what to do if they are contacted by a scammer."
The release says eight similar frauds have been reported in North Vancouver. Investigators have determined that the suspects may be travelling throughout the Lower Mainland, but the investigation is still active and ongoing.
Sahak said to remember that anyone can be a target and that fraudsters can be extremely convincing.
Some tips provided by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to avoid being victimized:
Don't be afraid to say no.
Do your research to verify organizations are legitimate.
Don't give out personal information such as your name, your address, your birthdate, your Social Insurance Number (SIN) or your credit card or banking information.
Beware of upfront fees.
Protect your computer.
Be careful who you share images with.
Protect your online accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
Recognize spoofing, which is used to mislead victims and convince them they are communicating with legitimate people, companies and organizations.
The RCMP urges people to contact their local police or call 911 if they have been the victim of a scam. They also point to scam reports on the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
How long to pay off $800K in illegal cigarette fines? 32,000 months, a judge calculates
Nova Scotia provincial court Judge Alain Bégin put a fine point on the absurdity of the situation with some quick math: it will take 32,000 months for the 68-year-old man he was sentencing on contraband cigarette charges to pay off the massive fines that, by law, had to be imposed. On Wednesday, David Barrie confirmed he was pleading guilty to two counts related to possessing unstamped tobacco, charges that stemmed from 650,000 illegal cigarettes discovered by RCMP in a van the man was driving two years ago near Truro, N.S. The violations were under the federal Excise Act and provincial Revenue Act, which prescribe formulas to determine the minimum fine amount, based on the number of cigarettes seized and the tax evaded. In Barrie's case, the calculation amounts to a whopping $886,296.80, an astronomical amount for a man the court was told is disabled, unemployed and lives on an Old Age Security pension. "What's your intention with regards to minimum payment?" Bégin asked him in a Truro courtroom. "Two hundred bucks a month? A hundred bucks a month? What are you gonna do? You pay $50 a month towards your $800,000 bill?" "He was hoping for maybe 25," Jim O'Neil, Barrie's lawyer, replied. "All right, $25 a month on your $800,000 bill," concluded Bégin, who out of curiosity did a quick calculation. "Yeah, 32,000 months to pay off your fine." In an interview, O'Neil said the minimum fines for illegal tobacco charges are set out in federal and provincial legislation, and judges have no discretion. It's an issue, he said, that has long bothered him when it comes to clients who are too poor to pay. In one case involving a single mother, O'Neil said, he sought to challenge the fine based on her poverty, but after researching the case law realized the argument would not succeed in charges involving contraband tobacco. When faced with such situations, he said, the only thing judges can do is "modify the impact" on the offender by ordering them to pay small monthly amounts, with no illusions the total fine will ever be paid off. "An awful lot of people who are involved in contraband tobacco are themselves addicted to tobacco or they're poor," O'Neil said. "For some reason, governments have singled out this particular offence for these huge fines and it's not proportionate to any other wrongdoings we may do as citizens." Revenue from tobacco taxes has dropped significantly in Nova Scotia in recent years. Smoking rates have declined, but a provincial cabinet minister acknowledged this spring that contraband sales may also be eating into the government's bottom line. Provincial tobacco enforcement officers seized a record number of illegal cigarettes last year, although the statistics don't include seizures by police forces. Barrie was arrested on May 27, 2023, after police pulled over a Ford Econoline van at the interchange of highways 102 and 104 outside of Truro, according to an RCMP police release at the time. Officers obtained a search warrant and found the unstamped cigarettes. O'Neil told the court Wednesday that Barrie was only a courier for someone else. "That's even worse. He wasn't going to get the benefit" from the sale of the cigarettes, O'Neil said. "Or the most foolish part, perhaps," Bégin replied. "Worse or most foolish, taking all the risk, going to get the penalty, and nothing to show for it." MORE TOP STORIES
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Prince George RCMP investigate $25,000 in damage to cemetery headstones
RCMP say they are investigating after cemetery staff in Prince George, B.C. discovered 21 vandalized headstones on Monday. RCMP estimate the damage at the Prince George Municipal Cemetery to be up to $25,000. Four of the 21 knocked-over headstones were damaged, according to city spokesperson Kendall Robertson. "The non-damaged ones have been returned to their positions and everything cleaned up," Robertson said. "Staff also notified plot owners of the damaged markers." The City of Prince George, located about 515 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, said it is not financially responsible for repairs or replacing the damaged headstones. City bylaws state that the care of "grave space memorials" is the responsibility of the owner. Since there is no surveillance on the cemetery grounds, there is little insight into what happened, according to Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, spokesperson for the Prince George RCMP. Investigators are asking anyone who has information on the case to contact RCMP.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
School zone regulations are not changing to 24/7 in Canada: B.C. RCMP
B.C. RCMP are setting the facts straight, stating school zone speed limits are not changing to be in effect at all times, despite online rumours. 'Some disreputable websites are claiming that all Canadian school zones will be in effect 24/7 starting July 1, 2025,' said Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol in a June 26 news release . 'These websites are completely wrong, and social media and AI are amplifying the misinformation.' Artificial Intelligence is said to be playing a part in the spread of inaccurate reports that, across Canada, speed limits applicable only during school hours will be in effect at all times beginning on July 1. This is false. In fact, McLaughlin said school zones are provincial jurisdiction. 'There are no sweeping changes coming for Canada,' he said. Section 147 of the BC Motor Vehicle Act says persons driving in a school zone on a regular school day must drive the posted school zone speed limit. Signs usually instruct vehicles not to exceed a speed of 30 kilometres per hour between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or between the hours specified on the sign. In the news release, BC Highway Patrol shared some recommendations when interacting with traffic-related content online. It said to consider the source of the information, who has jurisdiction on specific traffic regulations and whether the time allotted to making the change seems reasonable. 'Traffic law announcements should come from your provincial government. A website you've never heard of, or 'Ned from Facebook,' are not reliable sources,' reads the release. RCMP also said online content claiming sweeping and unrelated changes to laws on issues such as impaired driving and pedestrian zones should raise red flags. 'These are complicated issues,' the release said. The public is encouraged to bring their questions and concerns about updates to traffic laws to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, the BC Ministry of Transportation or their provincial counterparts. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
