(Cam Lee/northeastNOW)

By Cam Lee

Scams and fraud

Scams and fraud the focus of a meeting in Melfort

Feb 6, 2025 | 9:24 AM

A presentation in Melfort on Wednesday focused on fraud and scams, and how to avoid becoming a victim.

The Carrot River Valley chapter of the Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan (STS) hosted a meeting focusing on the importance of dealing with scams and fraud.

President Sue Amundrud said that many people she knows have indicated that they’ve recently received calls and emails that were scam attempts. She told northeastNOW a few days before the event that their provincial meeting had a similar presentation that was well-received, and she thought it would be a good idea to take the idea to Melfort.

A curious crowd was on hand to learn more about the topic from the presenter, Melfort RCMP Staff Sgt. Ryan Case. He said that fraud and scams come in many forms, including emails, phone calls, and even letters.

“Scams continue because they work and they are lucrative,” Case said during the meeting.

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Case said it’s important to educate people on the scams that are making the rounds, but it’s difficult as they have evolved to seem legitimate. For example, many of the email frauds look like they come from a reputable company, like a bank or utility company.

Staff Sgt. Ryan Case addresses the crowd interested in hearing more about fraud and scams. (Cam Lee/northeastNOW)

Mass marketing frauds operate their organizations much like a business and many are not small operations, said Case.

These frauds are “very lucrative for very little effort,” Case said, and virtually all stem from overseas, which makes them difficult to shut down and prosecute.

Case said identity theft involves scammers trying to get personal information, such as a Social Insurance Number, to create another identity for the purpose of getting credit.

While certain scams like the grandparent scam are focused primarily on the elderly, Case said the largest targets are people aged 18 to 30. He said all a scammer really needs is your name, birthday, and/or your SIN number. Case recommends avoiding posting too much information online via social media or other sites.

Case added that prevention is made easier by being vigilant and using common sense. For example, if you receive notice of a lottery win without first purchasing a ticket, it’s a scam.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com