You won a trip? Be suspicious

By Sharon Elliott

It’s the time of year when those freezing winter temperatures inspire many folks to head south and leave the rest of us day dreaming about it. So, if you happen to be one of the people who thought your dream came true because you recently received a phone call from an agency letting you know you had won a vacation in the south - don’t start packing yet.

From reports here at the Annapolis RCMP Detachment, there seems to be a number of con artists calling to tempt freezing Canadians into taking a trip south. But, don’t let them fool you. It’s a scam.

One of our residents who called to report the suspicious offer explained the caller of the scam identified himself with a hospitality service in the USA and told them they had won a 14-day holiday to Daytona Beach. But, in the next part of the conversation the caller said he needed their credit card number in order to proceed. Luckily, the individual who received this call knew not to give out their personal information and quickly reported the incident here at the detachment.

Not everyone is so lucky though. Another caller explained that when she received a similar call she thought she did everything right to protect herself. When she asked for further information about the trip to be sent - she received it. In fact, she received a very legitimate package. All the material came in a beautiful burgundy and gold crested portfolio. The pamphlets and travel booklets inside where glossy and full of colour. A customer service card was provided with the client’s name and reservation number. Letters to the customer where enclosed with very official company letterhead. And, the travel company’s web address was also provided. It all looked very, very legitimate on the surface. But it was all a cover. A very well-organized cover for one great big scam. A scam that cost one senior a serious amount of money when she gave out her credit card number.

These kinds of scams are always on the go, but they seem to increase for us at this time of year when our temperatures take a dip. So, here are a few tips to help keep you safe.

1) First of all, if you get a call that you have won a trip and you haven’t entered a contest – be suspicious. I have never met anyone who has won a trip out of the blue over the phone.

2) Never give your credit card information away to strangers who have called you over the phone. Just because a caller tells you they are a legitimate business does not mean they are.

3) Don’t give any other personal information about yourself away either. Whether it be over the phone, on the Internet, or in a survey - you should not give out any of your financial information, SIN #, date of birth, address, number of people who reside in your home, etc... This information can be misused if it gets into the wrong set of hands.

4) Never hesitate to call the police if you think you may have been a target of a scam. Sometimes people who have been victimized feel embarrassed to report they have fallen victim to a scam.

Don’t be. We know that con artists can be extremely convincing and they love to target honest and trusting people.

So, if you receive any strange or suspicious contact, please let us know.

For more information on safety and security tips, please contact Sharon Elliott at 665- 4481. Or, by email at sharon.elliott@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Sharon Elliott is Seniors’ Safety coordinator in Annapolis County.