RCMP say the public should take extra care and protect personal information when they are online.
According to police, they have seen an increase in gift cards and other related scams appear, and in a most recent failed attempt the target did not suffer any financial loss but was the recipient of several fake emails.
Police say fraudsters are using methods such as spoofed phone numbers and emails, fake websites, and romance attempts to lure in their victims to receive funds.
Nanaimo reserve constable Gary O’Brien says we live in a digital age and scammers are very good at hacking into devices and stealing information.
“Many people spend the majority of their day online on various platforms,” he says. “Unless we are diligent, we are all susceptible to being scammed.
Police say it is not unusual for hackers to clone social media pages, obtain email addresses, or pretend to be someone close to their victim as they carry out the scam.
RCMP is urging people that if they receive messages asking for money or personal details they are to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
For a list of ways to keep yourself safe, visit the RCMP’s website.
