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LPS warn of common scams as part of Fraud Prevention Month

Mar 15, 2018 | 3:34 PM

LETHBRIDGE – March is fraud prevention month across the country, and Lethbridge Police are reminding people about some common scams and other red flags, to help prevent them from being victimized.

Constable Paolo Magliocco is with Lethbridge Police’s Economic Crimes Unit. He says one of the most common scams in Lethbridge involves car dealerships selling vehicles to people with fake IDs.

“The dealership is usually unaware until police stop that vehicle later on or we get a tip from the public or we see it for sale on Kijiji as an example and there’s something suspicious with respect to that.

Magliocco says prowlers who break into cars will take wallets that have been left in the vehicle which contains valuables like credit or debits cards, driver’s licenses and Alberta Health Cards. They then secure a line of credit at a car company or financing and buy the vehicle.

“We see the bank is being defrauded, the dealership is being defrauded, then of course the identity of whatever victim as well.”

Another common scam involves those looking for love online.

“Unfortunately, victims – they meet someone online and release money to them for a host of different reasons. And it’s usually all fake and of course the fraudster never meets the victim, and money is always sent.”

To help avoid becoming a victim, police ask that people not keep any valuables in their vehicles, shred any personal documents they may not need, and not to keep their mail in their mail boxes for too long.

When it comes to online or telephone scams, they say never give out your personal or banking information to anyone you don’t know well.

And if you are a victim of a scam or have been defrauded, always contact police as soon as possible.

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