Scammers are continuing to target Summerland residents with some well-used schemes.
Cpl. Bruce Haley of the Summerland RCMP detachment said the biggest scam this year is an aggressive threat from callers claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency. The call is an attempt to collect money, but Haley said the method used is not the way the tax agency operates. “This isn’t how the Canada Revenue Agency does business,” he said. He urges those targeted to call the tax agency’s office directly, looking the number up and calling.
Another scam this year has been a fraudulent rental offer.
Advertisements for rental units or vacation units are posted online, with the scammer asking for payment in advance.
However, the unit does not exist or is not up for rent.
“We encourage people not to send out information until they have done due diligence,” Haley said. Other scams include callers claiming to come from computer software companies, offering to fix security holes in a computer.
Again, Haley said, reliable companies do not use this method when they are fixing technical problems.
“Sadly, there are some who get hooked by these kinds of things,” he said. “
