Prince George RCMP does not want bitcoin – we promise!

Prince George

2023-03-09 15:13 PST

March is Fraud Prevention Month and Prince George RCMP wants to help residents become more fraud aware by discussing common types of scams and frauds. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, the four most popular types of scams in 2023 were investment scams, spear phishing, service scams and phishing.

In Prince George we have seen a rise in a few different types of scams and frauds, most recently the grandparent scam from last month. We have also received numerous reports of spear fishing scams in Prince George, where victims have paid for services in Bitcoin, which is untraceable, and have not received the service, for example a computer scan for viruses. One of the most commonly reported frauds in Prince George is sextortion, however, states Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, Media Relations Officer for the Prince George RCMP.

If you are targeted or are a victim of fraud, here are some important steps to take:

• Gather all information about the fraud
• Report the incident to your local law enforcement
• Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
• Report the incident to the financial institution where the money was sent
• Be sure to report the incident directly to the website if the fraud took place online
• Victims of identity fraud should place flags on all their accounts and to both credit bureaus

For more information on scams and frauds, check out our webpage or else visit the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre website.

Released by

Cpl. Jennifer Cooper

Email: pg_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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