March is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada, and the Manitoba RCMP and Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) are ramping up their efforts to spread awareness to help keep people safe.

According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Manitobans lost approximately $31 million dollars to scammers in 2024, based on the number of scams that were reported. Considering that only about one if five victims reports a fraud, the actual number is expected to be much higher.

“Fraud is increasingly a problem in Manitoba, across Canada, and around the world,” says Staff Sargeant Kevin Cavanagh of the Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services Cyber and Financial Unit. “We encourage Manitobans of all ages to remain vigilant and do your research before making payments or sharing banking and other personal information, particularly when individuals you don’t know are reaching out in person or online for any reason.”

In February, the Manitoba RCMP became aware of a whole new scam—and they were the ones being impersonated. The online phishing scam saw victims receiving random emails ostensibly from the Manitoba RCMP.

The recipient was encouraged to click on a link to a video conference call with an officer. Once clicked, the victim was threatened with arrest unless they sent bitcoin or gift cards. The fraudsters went so far as to provide the actual phone number for the Manitoba RCMP’s general line, to demonstrate their legitimacy.

In recent years, senior citizens across the country have been singled out as easy targets. The grandparent scam involves phone calls from a fraudster posing as a grandchild or family member in distress.

They often use elaborate voice-cloning technology and bear personal information derived from social media or data breaches. The goal is always to obtain money through the use of fear, secrecy, and a deep sense of urgency.

In 2024, almost $350,000 was reported lost by Manitobans over 60 to this crime.

For this reason, the WPS recently introduced the Just Hang Up campaign. The goal is to strengthen fraud literacy among seniors, giving them the confidence to pause, hang up, and report to trusted family members and the police.

“With advancements in technology, grandparent scams have become a serious threat, causing financial hardship for families and eroding trust in institutions as fraudsters impersonate authority figures to exploit vulnerable seniors,” says Inspector Jennifer McKinnon of the WPS Major Crimes Division.

This year, the provincial government has allocated more than $643,000 to the WPS from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund (CPF) for a variety of projects, including the Just Hang Up campaign. The CPF’s funding is derived from the sale of seized criminal property.

Over the course of the next six months, the plan is to engage more than 700 older adults in in-person training sessions.

But you don’t need to be a senior to be vulnerable. Scammers will target people of any age, gender, and ethnicity. According to provincial sources, Canadians in their forties lose as much to scammers, on average, as those in their eighties.

There are relatively simple scams, like phishing texts which ask for payment information in order to deliver a package you didn’t order. Other very elaborate scams pull in victims slowly over months, using convincing documents and friendly discourse to gain trust in order to lure people into fake investments.

Dos and Don’ts

Becoming fraud-literate these days means learning to recognize red flags and know what to do, and not to do, when they’re spotted.

First, don’t click on links or attachments in unsolicited emails or texts, or those that come from an unfamiliar sender. If you’ve already clicked on a link or provided personal details, contact your financial institution immediately so they can watch for suspicious activity on your accounts.

Unless you’re completely certain of the legitimacy of a website or message sender, never provide personal info, credit card, or banking details.

Always take the time to verify the source of messages you receive. Strange-looking email addresses can give it away.

Be suspicious if the sender makes requests for cash, bitcoin, or gift cards or asks for credit card information.

Never provide remote access to your computer.

“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” reads a provincial news release. “Strangers offering large inheritances or lottery winnings in exchange for hundreds of dollars in processing fees aren’t legitimate. Neither are the people trying to buy the item you’ve posted online for sale for more than the asking price. The grandchild calling you out of the blue for bail money may not be real. The person that’s threatening to cut your cable if you don’t pay an overdue bill may not be from the telecommunications company. Ask pointed questions to confirm identity and, if need be, call people or companies back at known phone numbers.”