{"id":99088,"date":"2025-01-10T08:30:01","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T13:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.westmount.org\/?p=99088"},"modified":"2025-01-08T11:46:11","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T16:46:11","slug":"beware-of-scams-and-frauds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.westmount.org\/en\/beware-of-scams-and-frauds\/","title":{"rendered":"Beware of scams and frauds"},"content":{"rendered":"

No one is spared from fraud attempts. Recent trends show that scams are becoming increasingly subtle, informed by personal information posted on accessible websites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and others, and tailored to the age of potential victims. According to the annual report by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre<\/a>, reported losses have risen dramatically from $383 million in 2021 to $530.4 million in 2022! Find out what to do if you’re a victim, and adopt safe habits to protect yourself from scams.<\/span><\/p>\n

What to do if you’re a victim<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There is a reason scams and frauds are such big business \u2013 they work! If you think you may have been a victim, these are steps you can take right away to protect yourself and to help others.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Gather information:<\/strong> Collect all documents, receipts, messages and other evidence you have of what has happened.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Contact your financial institution:<\/strong> In the case of money fraud, contact the financial institution that handled the money and report the incident.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Contact the police:<\/strong> Any suspicious activity should be reported to local authorities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Report the incident: <\/strong>Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre<\/span><\/a>, a national police service that gathers information, aids enforcement and supports prevention,\u00a0and learn about other entities to contact depending on the type of fraud.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Protect yourself<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Scammers are always coming up with new tricks, but you can protect yourself with these recommendations. Find out more on the website of the <\/span>Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre<\/span><\/a> (CAFC).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n