Fraud continues to be a serious issue in many communities, including Red Deer.
The Red Deer RCMP urge residents to use caution when interacting with people online through classified sites or other platforms.
There have been several instances in Red Deer where fraudsters have targeted residents using online dating sites and other social media platforms.
These individuals will go to extreme lengths and effort to convince a prospective victim of their legitimacy, and they can seem very charismatic.
Although occurrences of fraud can occur in many forms, there are some consistent red flags residents should be on the lookout for to protect themselves:
l Someone seeking your personal information (such as your name, birthday, address, names of family members);
l Requesting you send, receive or hold funds for them through online banking;
l Requesting you complete any type of financial transaction on their behalf.
If you feel you’ve been targeted or victimized through fraudulent means, please contact the Red Deer RCMP at 403-343-5575.
This advice is provided by Const. Andrew Devine of the Red Deer RCMP detachment.