Police launch fraud awareness campaign

Police officers were in a Calgary shopping mall demonstrating debit card skimmers and counterfeit bills Thursday to launch Fraud Prevention Month.

Calgary police Chief Rick Hanson, who was at the Southcentre Mall event, said he is still amazed by the number of people who get "sucked" into pyramid schemes and other scams promising a prize or some other type of reward if money is sent first.

"People still become victimized by the fast-buck schemes, which amazes us because the rule is if it is too good to be true — it is."

Hanson said statistics don't always reveal how many people are falling for such schemes.

"I absolutely think that we are just skimming the surface. I think frequently when people realize they have been victimized they are embarrassed to report it," he said.

Police share tips

Insp. Frank Smart of the RCMP commercial crime unit said he is constantly harping on his wife and children to be more careful with their personal information. Smart always checks the debit machines when he is shopping to make sure it hasn't been tampered with by someone trying to harvest information.

Hanson also recommends being cautious about personal information and making use of a shredder.

"If you lose your identity it's a hard thing to get back. You are paying the price for a long time," he said.

Smart said fraud is now more lucrative than drug dealing. The Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta estimates that more than 80 per cent of internet, credit card and ATM fraud is linked or possibly linked to organized crime.

"Organized crime groups have been linked to frauds more and more, especially identify theft. They are realizing that it is such a lucrative market right now compared to other methods that might have been used in the past."

Jordan Coppiters, who works at a store in the mall, said the demonstration was helpful.

"I found enough information that I'll go back now and make our swipers more secure," he said.  "It woke me up for sure."