by Morinville Online Staff
As part of the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association’s (ACCPA) Fraud Prevention Month campaign, Alberta RCMP are offering weekly tips and information in keeping with the campaign’s weekly theme.
This week’s focus is on investment scams, including but not limited to:
- Investment fraud via social media;
- Ponzi or pyramid schemes;
- Cryptocurrency schemes;
- Real estate scams; and,
- Offshore investing schemes.
“Investment scams often appear as business opportunities that are just too good to be true. Always be suspicious of unsolicited investment opportunities – even from friends and family members,” said Alberta RCMP Provincial Economic Crime Team Corporal Sean Milne in a media release Monday.
RCMP offer the following tips:
- Be skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities;
- Always get a second opinion;
- Be suspicious of time-limited or high-pressure salespeople; and,
- Research the investment for how it works, the risks and fees.
If you are unsure of whether or not you are being targeted by a scam, visit the Government of Canada’s website to learn about common scam-types. If you have been the victim of fraud, report it to your local law enforcement and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at www.antifraudcentre.ca, or by calling: 1-888-495-8501. Be sure to contact your bank and credit card company if you believe your personal or financial information has been compromised.
