Scams

A Sooke woman is speaking up after she was almost tricked by a lottery scam, claiming she had won $950,000 with Set for Life Lottery. (File Photo)

‘I wanted it to be true so badly’: Sooke woman almost falls for lottery scam

88-year-old received letter stating she had won $950,000

 

Yet another telephone scam is attempting to defraud seniors in the Cowichan Valley. (File photo)

Elderly Cowichan Valley woman scammed out of $5,000

Daughter sends warning to the community

 

(Needpix.com)

Fraudsters projected to use pet scams to gouge over $3M from customers: BBB

The pandemic heavily contributed to the number of puppy scams

 

A special Tree of Life pendant that ‘Rose’ purchased during a sabbatical to Victoria. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Island woman warns of scams on dating sites from personal experience

Rose gets her $1,500 back, but most aren’t as fortunate

A special Tree of Life pendant that ‘Rose’ purchased during a sabbatical to Victoria. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Fraud alert, stock image, no date

Fraudsters target Greater Victoria community association with fake GoFundMe campaign

Two members fell victim, scam reported to police, association president says

Fraud alert, stock image, no date
The Better Business Bureau is warning people of scammers posing as Amazon customer support. (AP File Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Watch out for Amazon imposters, says scam expert

Better Business Bureau is warning of a rise in Amazon scammers as people online shop more

The Better Business Bureau is warning people of scammers posing as Amazon customer support. (AP File Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
The Noom app displayed on the Apple App Store on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. (Apple App Store)

Better Business Bureau issues warnings over billing for weight loss app Noom

Bureau warned customers to read terms carefully when they sign up for a free trial, especially for health and wellness apps.

The Noom app displayed on the Apple App Store on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. (Apple App Store)
A Victoria woman lost $4,000 after scammers convinced her to convert money into bitcoin. (Unsplash photo)

Victoria woman loses $4,000 to ‘aggressive, manipulative and convincing’ bitcoin CRA scam

VicPD officer receives scam call himself while investigating case

A Victoria woman lost $4,000 after scammers convinced her to convert money into bitcoin. (Unsplash photo)
In April 2020, the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre and the Better Business Bureau received 12,900 reports of fraud nationwide – an increase of 9,000 reports from the same month a year prior. (Pixabay)

Fraud reports spiked by nearly 45% in April as scammers take advantage of pandemic

COVID-19 an opportunity for scammers to put new spin on old tricks, police warn

In April 2020, the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre and the Better Business Bureau received 12,900 reports of fraud nationwide – an increase of 9,000 reports from the same month a year prior. (Pixabay)
Saanich police are warning about gift card scams after a resident lost money. (Black Press Media file photo)

Saanich police warn of gift card fraud after resident falls victim to scam

Canadian Anti-Fraud Center reports about $15.8 million lost in 2020 so far

Saanich police are warning about gift card scams after a resident lost money. (Black Press Media file photo)
(AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Grande trouble: BBB warns of bogus COVID-19 Starbucks gift card scam

Scammers disguise phishing scheme as COVID-19-related gift

(AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
COVID-19. (Image Credit: CDC)

Island RCMP warn against COVID-19 scams

Government of Canada also reminds people to be alert for fraudsters

COVID-19. (Image Credit: CDC)
(leakhena khat/Flickr)

When was the last time you changed your important passwords?

For National Password Day, and the BBB has some tips for increasing your online security

(leakhena khat/Flickr)
Pixabay photo.

Young B.C. family expected new puppy to arrive at airport, got scam instead

Surprise gift for kids turned into surprise theft from parents

Pixabay photo.
FILE - This Aug. 2, 2018, file photo shows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration building behind FDA logos at a bus stop on the agency’s campus in Silver Spring, Md. U.S. regulators warned several companies to stop selling soaps, sprays and other concoctions with false claims that they can treat the new coronavirus or keep people from catching it. The warnings were emailed Friday, March 6, 2020, to companies based in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. and were announced Monday. Nearly all the targeted companies had complied by Monday morning, with mentions of the virus or products to treat it taken off their websites. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Canadian company among seven warned by FDA over false coronavirus claims

Owner of Vivify said in an email that the company ‘simply sells herbs with no claims on them’

FILE - This Aug. 2, 2018, file photo shows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration building behind FDA logos at a bus stop on the agency’s campus in Silver Spring, Md. U.S. regulators warned several companies to stop selling soaps, sprays and other concoctions with false claims that they can treat the new coronavirus or keep people from catching it. The warnings were emailed Friday, March 6, 2020, to companies based in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. and were announced Monday. Nearly all the targeted companies had complied by Monday morning, with mentions of the virus or products to treat it taken off their websites. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
Saanich police are hoping to help residents avoid romance scams by revealing the most common red fags. (Pixabay)

Don’t be blinded by love: Saanich police warn of online dating red flags

Canadians lost about $25 million to romance scams in 2018

Saanich police are hoping to help residents avoid romance scams by revealing the most common red fags. (Pixabay)
Fans pay their respect at a memorial for Kobe Bryant near Staples Center Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

Watch out for scams, clickbait in the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death: Better Business Bureau

Kobe Bryant and his daughter were killed in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles

Fans pay their respect at a memorial for Kobe Bryant near Staples Center Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
Scammers send out convincing prompts pretending to be from Canada Post. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)

Canada Post aware of ongoing email, text phishing scams

Scammers pretending to be Canada Post will ask for personal and payment information

Scammers send out convincing prompts pretending to be from Canada Post. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)
‘Clever’ 90-year-old Saanich resident evades vitamin phone scammer

‘Clever’ 90-year-old Saanich resident evades vitamin phone scammer

Police warn of phone scammers claiming to be from the Regional Health Authority

‘Clever’ 90-year-old Saanich resident evades vitamin phone scammer
The Saanich Fire Department is warning people of a new phone scam. (Black Press Media files)

Saanich Fire Department warns public of new phone scam

Someone is posing as a fire fighter and asking for donations to the burn fund

The Saanich Fire Department is warning people of a new phone scam. (Black Press Media files)