Numerous types of scams and frauds operating on global, national, and local levels undermine the confidence of Manitobans by stealing their hard-earned money. These crimes are often borderless and have no specific target demographic group.
Over the past several months, RCMP have received several reports from residents who have had money withdrawn from their accounts. The withdrawals look to be coming from various locations in the United States. The incidents appear to be in the form of card skimming, where the victim’s debit card numbers are captured along with the PIN number, which then allows the fraudster to withdraw funds unsuspectingly from the account.
If you believe you’ve been a victim of fraud, there are several things you should do:
- Gather all information you have about the fraud, including documents, receipts, emails and/or text messages.
- Report the incident to your local police and obtain a police report number that may be requested by your financial institution and/or credit card company.
- Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 and complete a report.
In terms of fraud prevention, we encourage everyone to do the following:
- Monitor your bank accounts and financial statements regularly and report any suspicious transactions.
- Update your PIN number and any on-line financial institution passwords you use on a regular basis.
- Monitor your credit history on an annual basis through either Equifax Canada or TransUnion.
Prevention is key and every Manitoban needs to do their part in recognizing the signs, reporting it, and stopping it.
