A couple of reports have surfaced regarding scams residents of the South Cariboo may be targeted for.
Local resident Mike Palka recently received a letter in the mail with letterhead indicating a supposed legal firm in Spain.
In the letter, the “barrister” stated he was looking for someone to pose as a surviving relative of a man who had died with the same last name, and that a large sum of estate money was being held in trust.
Fortunately, Palka is aware of this type of scam, and says he had a similar letter sent to him five years ago.
That letter was also from Spain, but the false sender’s name was different, and it was mailed to him at his previous address in Victoria, where he was stationed in the military.
The recent fraudulent message was sent to Palka’s physical address at Eagle Creek, not his mailing one, so he believes that may have been snagged off a mailing list originating from an online shopping purchase, as he says those often require both.
Another warning was issued recently from Rural Crime Watch’s Jon McCormick, regarding some TELUS phone customers who have subscribed to a feature that allows them to bypass blocked or unlisted numbers, and are doing so.
If subscribers bypass the security feature to answer a call from an unknown number, the call display simply shows the TELUS calling feature assistance number 250-310-8682.
McCormick says he’s had reports of several people looking for the source of this number.
TELUS media relations representative Shawn Hall advises customers to never give personal information to callers if there is any doubt as to who they are or why they are calling.
People should just hang up, or ask for the caller’s phone number and call them back, he explains.
“It’s illegal in Canada to telemarket without showing a number that people can call back at.”
A legitimate caller should have no problem with that, Hall says, and folks can then call them back before providing any information (at their own discretion.)
If it is a fraud, the caller will either hang up or provide a false number, he adds.
“Just because [scammers] say they are from a reputable organization, it doesn’t mean they are. That’s something fraudsters use all the time, so just be cautious.”
