Re(con)naissance

Keeping loved ones up to date with scams prevents fraudsters from winning

Confidence artists have been around as long as there has been anything to steal. They rely on our instincts to get their way, and put us in positions of confusion, shame, love or fear so we will act without thinking.

As communications technology evolves at a speed few can keep up with, scams evolve to match. But the archetypes are there, catching victims in weak moments and causing them to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars they don’t necessarily have.

It happens all the time, even to those who think they are savvy to scammers. It’s a frustrating, humiliating experience.

In the County, two incidents were reported to police in December alone. It’s possible still others were scammed and didn’t report it.

One was on the online classifieds site, Kijiji.

Imagine perusing the website, searching for an item you need, but can’t really afford brand new. You’re hoping to find a good deal. And you do—a nearly new machine. The seller says they can ship it to you and save you the drive. You agree on a price, send them your shipping information, and go to the post office to send a money order for the machine.

Only it never arrives.

The scammer, whose address is in Africa, never had a snowblower, and now they have your cash.

Or perhaps you get a phonecall from a lawyer who informs you your son is in prison and needs money for bail and for legal fees. In a panic, you send the money, $3,000, with guidance from the lawyer.

Except your son isn’t in jail. And he certainly hasn’t enlisted the help of a lawyer.

He’s fine, and your money is gone.

Imagine you get a call or an email from your bank or the Canada Revenue Agency. You’ve failed to pay, a fraud has been committed in your name, and if you don’t confirm your information immediately, you could be charged. Once you’ve given that information to the scammer, it can be used to access your bank account and credit cards, or even order new ones in your name.

Scammers prey on lonely hearts, too. They troll dating websites, interacting with singles using fake profiles. They make excuses for not meeting face-to-face: business trips and distance. They charm their way into their victims’ hearts.

Then they inform their paramour of an accident that’s happened, they are in trouble and need cash. Their smitten victim obliges, and continues to do so until they catch on.

The list goes on. The financial hardship that can result from falling victim to these scams is compounded by shame and anger.

But if we share the information, especially with the most common victims—the young and naive, and elders who have less experience with modern technology— we can prevent it from occurring in our families and our communities.

“We encourage people to never provide personal information over the phone, over the Internet, unless they initiate contact,” says Kim Guthrie of the Prince Edward OPP. “We’ve been educating people for years, but people still get [duped] by fraudsters. These people are experts at a sales pitch.”

Guthrie says the scammers are getting better at their game all the time. There are tips she would give for people to remind the people in their lives who are less savvy on the Internet.

“I would encourage to not respond online. I would not engage on the Internet through email or otherwise. Never click on a link in an email, because you just don’t know if it’s legitimate,” she says. Older people are typically targets in this community. “There has been that grandparent scam, and there have been people who have been duped by Kijiji scams. I know of two people who have applied for and send deposits for residential units in our communities, and that rental didn’t exist… people need to meet face to face.”

“You should always have someone with you,” said Guthrie. “For a second pair of eyes, and for safety, of course.”

Although no one can know for sure, Guthrie gets the sense that less than half of fraud cases get reported to police.

“You just trust everybody at face value. It’s an unfortunate situation, but you just can’t,” she says. And there’s no value in shaming the victims. “It’s not an indicator of their common sense or their intelligence. It’s an indication that they are a person who wants to trust. They have a trusting nature. Should they be criticized for that? Absolutely not.”