Fraudsters targeting seniors through phone scams and in-person encounters to steal banking cards

The Langley RCMP is alerting the public of a phone scam that encompasses the fraudsters attending residences to steal banking cards and then performing unauthorized banking transactions.

In late January, the Langley RCMP received numerous reports of an orchestrated scam that has already affected multiple jurisdictions in the Lower Mainland. In this scam, the victim receives a phone call from someone claiming to be an investigator from the fraud department of a financial institution. The alleged fraudster advises the victim that their banking cards have been compromised and the physical banking cards are required to complete their investigation. Once the victim provides their residential address, the alleged fraudster arrives in person, collects the banking cards and acquires the personal identification number (PIN). The alleged fraudster then attends a financial institution and uses an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to withdraw funds from the bank account which results in financial loss for the victim. In all the incidents in Langley, the victims have been seniors.

Scammers often prey on seniors, exploiting their trust and vulnerability, knowing that they may not recognize the warning signs of fraud until its too late, says Sgt. Zynal Sharoom of the Langley RCMP. Sgt. Sharoom adds that, Similar scams have been detected in other jurisdictions and officers are working with respective policing partners to determine if any of these incidents are linked to each other.

Here are some tips to prevent yourself from falling victim to such incidents:

• Do not share your personal information such as name, address and date of birth with unknown individuals over the phone;
• Never share your banking information with anyone – this includes account and PIN numbers;
• Never hand over your banking information including banking cards to anyone who attends your residence; and
• Do not trust your caller identification numbers, and contact your financial institutions directly in person if you feel your banking cards have been compromised.

Please visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website to learn about recent scams and frauds.