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September 16, 2016 - 9:18 AM
KAMLOOPS - A Kamloops man has been defrauded to the tune of $8,000 by someone claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency.
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says in a media release the scammer phoned the senior and told him there were errors on his 2015 tax return and if he didn’t purchase $4,000 worth of gift cards, two officers would come to his residence and arrest him.
The victim followed the scammers orders and went to a local store and purchased gift cards. The victim delivered the authorization numbers to the scammer by phone.
The scammer demanded another $4,000 in gift cards. The victim followed the orders again and went to purchase more gift cards. Brazenly, the scammer continued and demanded $3,000 more in gift cards.
An observant store employee told the senior he was being defrauded and the police were called.
“It’s important that every family has a discussion about these types of phone calls,” Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says in the media release. “It’s especially important to talk about the scam with seniors and vulnerable people in your family.
Shelkie says it's important to explain to seniors "no one from the Canada Revenue Agency will call them on the phone" pointing out the agency communicates through the mail.
"No one from any legitimate business will ever demand payment in gift cards or ask for money to be wired to them," she says in the release. "No legitimate business will threaten arrest if payment is not made.”
If you or someone you know has been scammed, police say to report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Agency.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2016