Police launch scam line to report suspicious offers
October 30, 2010                                                                                                   <Return to News>  

Kamloops RCMP are marking national Crime Prevention Week by launching a program they believe is the first in B.C.
Sgt. Scott Wilson said Friday the Scam Information Line starts taking calls Wednesday from anyone who has a question about an email they've received from Nigerians offering them millions of dollars or someone claiming to be a relative with an emergency who needs money.

Fraud is the big focus this year for the national week, and fraud is the target of the Scam Information Line, he said.
"This is a coast-to-coast issue."

Across the country, Canadians are defrauded of an average of $5 million each month, he said. And those are just the reported cases - a small percentage of how much fraud actually costs people, because victims are often too embarrassed to tell anyone.
Scammers often target people via telephone or email. The new phone line has trained volunteers taking calls and answering questions.

There will also be an email address, so people can send in their questions electronically or even forward suspicious offers that have come in on their computers.

The phone line will run Monday to Friday during business hours. Wilson said the number and email address will be publicized once they are up and ready to go.

SCAM Information Line Kamloops (SILK)
Kamloops Detachment RCMP
560 Battle Street
Kamloops, BC  V2C 6N4
    Telephone:       250-828-3266
    De tachment:    250-828-3000
    Fascimile:        250-828-3210
    E-mail:            silk@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

If you are the victim of a crime in BC you have the right to receive information about:
    1.   victim assistance available to you
    2.   compensation for criminal personal injury
    3.   how the criminal justice system works, the status of the police investigtion and the court case
    4.   the administration of the offenders' sentence your right to privacy
For further information, please contact the Kamloops RCMP Victim Assistance Program at 828-3223.

Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS   or 1-800-222-8477
Web Tips:   www.kamloopscrimestoppers.ca
   

Courtesy of Kamloops Daily News                                             <Return to News>