Police in Fort McMurray are seeing more reports of fraud as scammers increasingly pose as government officials to steal money and personal information from residents.

Wood Buffalo RCMP say fraudsters have been contacting victims by phone, claiming to represent government agencies and demanding payment for outstanding fines or threatening arrest, according to an RCMP news release. The callers use technology to “spoof” phone numbers, making it appear they’re calling from legitimate organizations.

Scammers typically tell victims they have unpaid fines or are wanted by police, then provide links for payment or instruct them to download apps and share personal information to avoid arrest.

Police are urging residents to protect themselves by being cautious of urgent-looking pop-ups and suspicious emails containing spelling or formatting errors. People should avoid clicking unknown links or attachments and keep their devices updated with current anti-virus software.

RCMP recommend securing online accounts with strong, unique passwords that include at least eight characters with a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. The same password should never be used across multiple accounts.

Residents should be wary of high-pressure sales tactics and anyone demanding immediate payment or personal information. Legitimate businesses and government agencies never request payment through gift cards, police say.

People can protect themselves by confirming the legitimacy of any suspicious contact through official websites or by calling verified numbers directly. If someone claims a family member is in trouble, residents should contact others before taking action.

Those who receive unsolicited calls should never share personal details including their social insurance number, banking information or passwords unless they initiated the contact.

Police encourage anyone who suspects they’ve been targeted by fraud to report it, even if no money was lost. Reports help protect others from similar scams.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre recommends victims gather all information about fraud incidents, including documents, receipts and copies of emails or text messages. People should also report incidents to their financial institutions and warn family, friends and co-workers about their experience.

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• Pincher Creek RCMP – 403-627-6000
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