Police Beat by Detective Constable Diane MacLaurin

March 2010 

This is the last column dealing with your credit file. When you receive a copy of your credit report from a credit reporting agency, there are certain areas you need to review carefully.

• Check to make sure your date of birth and social insurance number has been partially blocked, to protect your identity. ( i.e.: birthdate 01/xx/62, social insurance number 123 xxx 789)

• Check to see if your personal information is correct.

• Check to see if there are lots of inquiries for your credit information. If so, are they companies you have done business with.

• Call the businesses listed on your credit report if you don’t remember dealing with.

• Have you given any of the companies listed on your report permission to see your credit report information?

•Check your payment histories. If you always pay on time and/or pay off loans quickly, make sure your report reflects that.

Any of the above problems with your file could lead to you having credit problems. It could also indicate that someone else is using your identity and obtaining credit through your good name. This unfortunately, is a growing trend. Family members or caregivers are often the suspects. Next month we will discuss identity theft.

Just a note on a couple of scams currently targeting seniors. Lots of problems in BC and Southern Ontario noted with bank scams. The culprit contacts a senior and states he is a bank investigator and is conducting an internal investigation of one of their employees. He asks the victim to withdraw money from their account and give it to the inspector. The inspector would then place the money back into the victim’s account at a later date, which does not happen. NO BANK WOULD EVER ASK YOU TO DO THIS. This scam has not been reported in Thunder Bay, to date.

The next scam is by e-mail. An official looking email is sent from Revenue Canada regarding filing your income tax return. They ask for some of your personal information. Revenue Canada would not send emails like this out. If ever in doubt, contact the bank, government agency or business yourself to make inquiries.

Stay safe!

I can be contacted @ 684-1039

December 2009 

‘Tis the season! Let’s be smart consumers. Due to the after Christmas sales and what to purchase for the hard to buy person, gift cards are becoming a popular item.

Nearly 80% of Canadian retailers sell gift cards. On October 1, 2007, Ontario became the first Canadian jurisdiction to ban expiry dates and fees on gift cards. Here are some of the tips you need to know –

• Expiry dates are prohibited on gift cards and certificates that have a specified dollar amount

• Service fees, other than for customizing or replacing a lost or stolen card have restrictions

• Retailers must clearly, in a prominent place, disclose the terms and conditions relating to a gift card

• Your Ontario gift card keeps the dollar value until you have used it up. This applies as long as the card issuer remains in business

• Fees CAN be charged for shopping mall gift cards and others that are redeemable at more than one affiliated store

• Gift certificates bought for specific goods and services, like spa packages and lessons CAN have expiry dates and fees

Remember to read and understand the terms and conditions of gift cards before you buy. Be aware that gifts cards are like cash and should be kept in a safe place. Retain your receipt until the balance is used up. You can ask the store to swipe your gift card to show your outstanding balance.

Gift cards purchased in the United States or other provinces may have different rules. Know before you buy! Enjoy this holiday season.

Stay safe!

I can be contacted at 684-1039

November 2009 

This month will highlight a couple of current scams circulating in Thunder Bay. Please pass on the information to your friends and family members as well. The better informed we are, the less the the chance we will be taken advantage of.

A gentleman dropped off a letter he had received from a lawyer in Spain. Apparently, a long-lost wealthy relative had died and this lawyer was looking for heirs to give his money to. The man was asked to provide some personal information to the lawyer in order to start distributing the monies. If you go the Phonebusters website, (www.phonebusters.com) or call 1 888 495- 8501, you will see this scam has been in place for a number of years. (Scroll to the scams section and click on the inheritance one.) Sometimes the “deceased wealthy relative” is from Nigeria, Spain, England etc. Any time someone you don’t know is asking for personal information should sound alarm bells!

Recently, Thunder Bay Hydro had a media release regarding fraudulent sales calls to their customers. An unknown company is offering a device that could save customers up to 40 per cent on their electricity bills. In some circumstances, the callers have even suggested that the device has been approved by Thunder Bay Hydro. These scammers have even asked for the customers’ credit card information. Thunder Bay Hydro has not approved of such a device and has advised all customers to be aware if they receive such calls.

Finally, if you are buying or selling items over the Internet, you need to be aware of the dangers. A common site, Kijiji, has these helpful tips.

• Meet in person, preferably at a public place, to see what you are buying and to exchange funds.

• Never send or wire money to sellers or buyers. This includes mailing a cheque or using payment services like Pay Pal, Western Union, Money Gram, etc. to pay for items found on Kijiji.

• Do not give out your personal or banking information over the Internet.

In general, one of the best ways to lessen your chances of being defrauded is to ensure all transactions take place locally and in person. Keep aware of common scams by reading, asking and questioning.

Stay safe!

I can be contacted at 684-1039

Safety tips continue this month to help you minimize your risk of being a victim in your home.

• Establish a routine to make certain that all your doors and windows are locked when you leave your home. Stick to the same pattern to ensure you don’t miss anything.

• Don’t carry your house keys on a key ring with your home address on it.

• REMEMBER EVEN WHEN YOU ARE HOME BUT WORKING OUTSIDE IN THE YARD – KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED! We have had reports that people are home in the garage or yard and thieves have entered their homes and stolen their wallets, jewellery or purses.

• Put your wallets or purses in a closet or cupboard. Don’t leave them out in the open.

• Don’t hide your keys in “secret” places outside your home. Leave a spare with a relative or neighbour.

• Don’t display lawn ornaments that identify you are a senior. Cute signs (for example: Grandpa and Grandma live here) that are visible to the street let people know that seniors live at that residence.

• Use automatic timers to turn lights on and off at various times in the house if you are away. You can even connect a radio to the timer.

• If you do plan to be away, let a neighbour you trust know. Have your mail picked up, snow shovelled, grass cut and turn down your telephone ringer. If your phone number is listed, thieves can call and listen to see if someone picks it up. Consider having someone park a vehicle in your driveway if it is unoccupied.

• If you ride a bicycle, remember to record the serial number, model and make down. Thunder Bay Police Service recover hundreds of bicycles each year and we can’t identify the owners. If your bicycle is stolen, make a police report and give the serial number. This is entered on a Canada-wide data base and if we recover it, it can be returned to you. Invest in a good quality lock and USE it!

• For those of you who live in apartments, put only your last name and initial on your mailboxes.

Let’s all be aware this spring. Stay safe!

This month will provide some safety tips for homeowners. Now that spring is here, there are more chances for unwanted people to be in your neighbourhoods.

Burglars won’t find your home an “easy mark” if they are forced to work in the light or if it takes a lot of time to break in or if they must make a lot of noise to break in. Take the time to walk around your home and look at it like a burglar would.

• Where is the easiest entry and how can you make it more burglar-resistant?

• Are there trees and/or shrubs that hide doors or windows?

• Do you have exterior lights and sensor lights? Make sure they are mounted out of easy

reach.

• Simple security devices like padlocks, door and window locks, grates and bars can

increase the amount of time it takes to break in to your home.

• Decide if an alarm system is worthwhile for you. Look at more than one option and remember, it will only help if you TURN it on!

• If in doubt about the security of your doors or locks, contact an expert. There are

reputable companies in Thunder Bay that can assist you with window and/or door locks.

Some of the above tips may assist you in staying safe. If the police, ambulance or fire department need to respond to your house make sure your house numbers are large and visible. Don’t have trees, planters etc. blocking them. Valuable time can be lost searching for your address. If you have a laneway, it is also a good idea to put your house numbers on your back fence, garage or shed. If the police are searching in the area for a suspect in a crime, it can assist us in land marking during our search.

Safety tips will continue next month!

Stay safe!

———————————————————-

Canadians use their banking cards millions of times each day for purchases and cash withdrawals from automatic banking machines (ABMs). Seniors benefit from not carrying large amounts of cash around but need to understand what types of fraud can happen. Here are some important reminders to help keep your banking card safe and secure:

• Your PIN (personal identification number) is the key to your bank account. Only you should know and have this number.

• Never share your banking card or PIN with anyone. Family members that are untrustworthy can easily take your money. Have them take or drive you to the bank and Don’T give them your number.

• Always shield your PIN when entering it into the ABM or PIN pad. Do not say your number out loud or give it to a store clerk to enter for you.

• Always remember to take your banking card with you after you have used it for a transaction. Do not let the clerk take your card out of your sight.

• Memorize your PIN. If you think someone may know your number, change it. Never use obvious numbers like your phone number or date of birth. These numbers are often stored in your wallet and criminals can then easily guess your PIN.

• When using an ABM, be alert. If someone is watching you or makes you feel uncomfortable, cancel the transaction and leave the area.

If you are a victim of fraud or theft, contact me at 684-1039. Stay safe!

June 2008 issue 

This month’s column will address what is known as a hidden crime. Elder abuse is harm done to an older person that is violent or abusive. It is any act, or lack of action, that causes harm to a senior when perpetrated by a person the senior should be able to trust. Following are some indicators of abuse.
FINANCIAL – You have the right to be safe from financial abuse. Your money and belongings are YOURS alone. Don’t be pressured into giving or lending money either to family, friends or caregivers. Keep your chequebook in a safe place and don’t be pressured into putting someone else on your bank account. Talk to the people at your bank and get their help with your finances. NEVER lend anyone your bank card (debit card) or credit card.  Keep your personal identification numbers for your bank card and credit card private. Don’t be pressured into changing your power of attorney or will.
EMOTIONAL - You have the right to be free from anyone treating you unkindly or disrespectfully. Don’t let people intimidate or bully you. This includes calling you names, putting you down or treating you like a child. Don’t let other take over your decisions. Make your own choices with input from others you trust. If you are not comfortable with how you are spoken to or treated, speak up. Tell others and enlist their help in stopping the situation.
PHYSICAL – Nobody should ever hit you, push you, or inflict any act which is harmful or dangerous to you. If they do, you have the right to call police immediately! Assault is against the law and as much as 90 % of abuse is from family members or caregivers. Much goes unreported because the senior is afraid of the consequences of calling police.
You have the right to live your life without fear. You may just want the abuse to stop and just need advice or guidance. You can call 211 to reach to Elder Abuse Help Line. I can assist you with any information regarding the above elder abuse issues. It DOESN’T mean charges have to be laid or will be laid, depending on each individual situation. I can be contacted to discuss any problems you have. Your calls ARE confidential. My direct phone is 684-1039.
STAY SAFE!

Now that spring has finally arrived, people will be out and about enjoying the weather more. However, it also brings out the unscrupulous door to door sales people. This month’s column will focus on how to protect yourself from these people.

Direct marketing fraud usually occurs when the con artist comes to your door and tries to sell you a product, asks you to donate to a charity or offers to do some type of home renovation. Here are some tips to help you recognize these individuals.

These people are first and foremost after YOUR money. Lots of times they will work on commission and if you sign a contract, they make money. Therefore, they will be very aggressive in their sales pitch. You may initially say no, but they will be persistent and sometimes intimidating in the way they talk to you.

Remember, this is YOUR house. If you see someone at your door and you don’t want to speak to them, don’t answer the door. They may knock or ring but will eventually go on to the next house. When answering your door, most people have two exterior doors. ALWAYS keep both locked and when answering, talk through the door. If you live in an apartment, use your peep hole or ask through the door who it is. That way you have a barrier if you decide you don’t want them on your property or at your apartment door. In an apartment complex, notify the manager if you have one. They probably don’t want door to door salespeople in their buildings either.

Don’t be bullied into letting anyone in to your house. Be assertive and say you are not interested and if they are still persistent, tell the person you WILL call police if they don’t leave. On the flip side, there are the con artists that are very complimentary and know the way into homes is by seeming concerned and caring. These fraud people are just as conniving.

Before signing any contract or buying a service, like electricity or gas, take your time to review all the information. Being pressured into signing RIGHT NOW is a good indicator the salesperson is trying to confuse you.

Some fraud artists go door to door saying they are collecting for charities. If you are unsure whether or not you want to donate, contact the charity DIRECTLY to determine whether they have a campaign on. Make sure the campaign it legitimate and ask how you can donate if you so choose.

REMEMBER, YOU HAVE THE POWER NOT TO PARTICIPATE. CHOOSE WISELY!

Telemarketing is a term used to describe the sale of goods and/or services, for charities canvassing for donations or businesses conducting surveys over the telephone. It is a recognized legitimate business practice; however there are many unscrupulous people who may use the telephone to scam you.

All scams have one thing in common – to separate you from your money! Hanging up the phone makes it difficult for the scammer to commit the fraud. However, con artists are very persuasive and use all types of excuses, explanations and seemingly good offers to lead you to lose your common sense. Scam artists gain your trust by using professional marketing techniques and well-crafted scripts. Their friendly tone puts you at ease and they sound believable. They easily impersonate legitimate businesses, charities or other causes to get your money. Here are some tips to assist you in deciding whether you’re being scammed:

• The caller is really excited about the offer they are telling you about – trying to convince you to buy NOW

• The caller demands payment and/or a commitment immediately

• You are asked to provide personal banking information like your credit card information or bank account

• You must pay something BEFORE your prize will be sent to you. Examples are taxes, legal fees or delivery fees.

• The price of the product and/or service is much lower than market prices

• The caller will not send you anything in writing or give you specific information on their company.

Legitimate business people will be happy to provide you with written information, a call back number and time to check out their organization. Remember, they also want the scam artists out of business. Always be careful providing any of your personal information over the telephone unless YOU have initiated the call yourself and know that you are dealing with a legitimate business. If you have any doubts about a caller, your best defence is to HANG UP!! If you are in doubt ask the advice of someone you trust or call police for information. If a scam artist contacts you or if you’ve been defrauded, call PhoneBusters at 1-888-495-8501 or www.phonebusters.com

PhoneBusters gathers evidence, identifies new trends and alerts law enforcement in Canada and abroad. By reporting, you can prevent others from becoming victims and help put an end to fraud.