By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
“Assume that it’s a scam.”
That’s the advice Chatham-Kent police have for seniors when it comes to the many ways fraudsters are trying to rip them off for their money.
As part of community outreach, CKPS put on an anti-fraud workshop at the Chatham Retirement Resort. Led by Special Constables Brenda Koldyk and Jessie Brooks, the session was chock full of tips to keep seniors from becoming victims.
Top suggestions, said Koldyk, include never giving out your phone number or personal information over the phone for any reason, and running potential fraud situations by a family member or caregiver, particularly if the scammers say “it’s urgent.”
In her talk, the officer outlined a host of fraud scenarios, including the infamous grandparent scam, where a so-called grandchild calls up and asks for money to bail them out of jail.
“Don’t send any money for bail,” Koldyk stressed, noting the emergency call is almost certain to be fake.
“Your money is your money,” Koldyk explained, adding no one else has a right to it.
The recent talk was timely as fraud against seniors is reaching epic proportions.
That’s why police across Ontario are using June – the province’s seniors’ month – to promote the “Working for Seniors” theme by raising awareness about scams targeting the older population.
It’s a growing problem. In 2022, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received reports totalling a staggering $531 million in victim losses. Of that, $138 million (26 per cent) was reported by victimized seniors – a slice of the population that loses 33 per cent more than any other demographic.
It’s likely a much larger problem, as the CFAC estimates only between five and 10 per cent of scammed seniors actually report the crime.
Seniors who do fall prey to fraud are encouraged to report the incident to police, plus tell a trusted family member or friend.
“Don’t be shy about making a report or about making a mistake,” said Special Const. Brooks. “Ask someone to help you.”
According to the CFAC, the top frauds affecting seniors include investment fraud, $79.1 million (36.5 million in Ontario); romance fraud, $19.5 million ($8.8-million lost by Ontario seniors); service scams, $8.5-million lost (Ontario seniors’ portion, some $6 million) and $7.7-million in extortion fraud (Ontario seniors lost $542,000). Canadians lost $7.1-million in the infamous emergency-grandparent scam, in which Ontario seniors accounted for more than half of the loss, being ripped off for $4.3 million.
If fraud is suspected, police encourage the public to visit the CAFC website at the antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
If you fall victim to a fraudulent scheme or know someone who has, contact local police and report the crime. Victims should also call the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or report online on the Fraud Reporting System, even if a financial loss didn’t occur.
