August 10
The Kitimat RCMP received a complaint from an individual who felt that he was the victim of fraud. The person stated that he had completed a transaction online in order to obtain a loan. Money was sent to the corporation, only to later determine that it was not a legitimate business and the money sent is now unrecoverable. Police are suggesting that the public only deal with legitimate financial institutions for loans and transactions.
August 13
A report of a trailer theft was called to the police, when a black PJ cargo trailer, which had been used to hold a water tank at the Kitimat Snowflake Grounds, had been taken sometime over the past few days. The water tank had been removed and left at the grounds. There was no licence plate on the trailer.
August 14
A pick-up truck was reported stolen and later discovered lit on fire. Police say they believe the vehicle may have been left unlocked with a spare key inside it. The truck was found August 17 when police and the fire department was called to a vehicle fire off of Kitamaat Village Road. Police say individuals well known to the police were located nearby but the investigation is ongoing at this point.
Police responded to another fraud report, this time a telephone scam. They say the complainant says they received a call from a person purporting to be from the Canada Revenue Agency, attempting to scare them in to paying a fictitious debt. The complainant, police say, felt obligated to send money through a well-known third-party money transaction corporation to an individual in Edmonton. The complainant admitted to doing so, but felt that this method was not authentic and called the RCMP prior to sending more money. The scam is common enough that the CRA has an extensive website detailing their concerns on others using their name to extort money.
For information on scams or to report deceptive telemarketing, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca, or call 1-888-495-8501. If you believe you’ve been the victim of fraud or have given personal and financial imformation unwittingly, contact the local police.