Emergency scams rise
Powell River residents are warned to be on alert for telephone scams this summer.
“Hi, Gran, I need your help and you have to promise not to tell Mom and Dad. I got arrested in Mexico and I need $2,000 bail money...”
“Grandpa, I’m in London with my college roommate. You remember Carol? We were robbed last night in a pub and now I have no money to get home.”
Better Business Bureau of BC and Yukon (BBB) states that consumer scams are a serious problem in Canada and the emergency scam is one of the most popular. It preys on seniors and callers pose as a friend or family member in trouble, often overseas. Always there is a request for money to be sent.
BBB reports that because more people are travelling during the summer months, there is a higher likelihood that friends and family will perceive their loved ones as vulnerable and therefore be more open to listening to fraudsters.
“Emergency scams play off people’s emotions and strong desire to help others in need,” reads a statement by BBB. “Scammers impersonate their victims’ loved ones, often using information they’ve picked up on social media, and make up an urgent situation: ‘I’ve been arrested, I’ve been mugged, I’m in the hospital.’ The scammer makes an urgent plea for help and money. The victim often responds quickly and without checking first to see if the pleading voice on the other end of the phone really is their grandchild or other loved one.”
BBB offers the following tips to protect consumers from being tricked by scams:
· Do not wire money to a stranger you have not met in person.
· Investigate by verifying the information with family members and friends first and ignore the caller’s plea not to tell others.
· Never send funds received by cheque until it officially clears in your account, which can take several days, or more.
· Watch out for email scams. Often someone you know may have had their email hijacked by a scammer, so do not trust an emergency via email unless you have verified it first.
To report a scam, readers can go online. Anyone concerned they may be a victim of a scam should contact their local RCMP.
The BBB for Vancouver Island has another word of caution. Philanthropy helps improve the quality of life for many recipients, however, anyone donating to a charity or fundraising cause is advised to check where the money is going. BBB suggests researching before donating money to any organization that is collecting donations or sponsorships.
“To make sure you always know where your donations are going and how they will be used, you must take the time to do your research and due diligence before contributing,” said Rosalind Scott, president and CEO of BBB Vancouver Island. “There are a number of poorly run organizations, as well as con artists, out there seeking your donations.”
Before donating to an organization, check: is the organization registered? Does the society have a gaming licence? Is the society a registered charity?
BBB has an extensive database of business and charity reviews available online.
Problems port princess
Commuters to Texada Island had a bit of a surprise Wednesday morning, July 24, when their ride to work failed to show up.
A BC Ferries engineering team was brought in to fix the mechanical issue on the North Island Princess, the vessel that serves the route between Westview and Blubber Bay.
“We had to cancel the first two round trips this morning,” said BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall. Service resumed for the 9:10 am sailing from Texada.
According to Marshall, the problem was with the cooling system in the starboard engine on the vessel. Repairs on the vessel took a few hours to complete and while they were underway the ferry corporation brought in a water taxi service to shuttle people back and forth.
“It’s not a huge interruption, but we certainly apologize to our customers because it obviously caused some people to have to rearrange their travel plans,” she said.
The Queen of Burnaby, a 48-year-old ship, which serves the route between Little River and Westview, has recently seen more sailing delays due to increases in summer traffic and mechanical problems. On July 9, the first sailing from Comox was cancelled because of problems with the exhaust system for the engines.
BC Ferries Commissioner announced his blessing this week of the ferry corporation’s plan to replace the Burnaby and the Queen of Nanaimo, which serves Gulf Island routes, with three new smaller capacity ships.
