'When in doubt, get out': Edmonton police say awareness can fight fraud

Fraud in Edmonton is on the rise and the Edmonton Police Service is hoping its 13th annual fraud prevention month will help curb that trend.

EPS is planning on focusing on one specific aspect of fraud each week during March:

• Weekone: High-pressure door-to-door sales;
• Week two: Fraudulent credit card scams;
• Week three: Mass marketing scams; and
• Week four: Break-ins resulting in credit card fraud.

Insp. Peter Bruni-Bossio with EPS said there were 3,982 frauds reported to EPS in 2016, a 23-per-cent interest over the 3,244 reported in 2015.

"We know that many people are too traumatized and embarrassed to report these incidents to police," Bruni-Bossio said Wednesday.

As police investigations progress, the number of victims is expected to increase and losses are estimated to exceed $10 million in Edmonton, despite the provincial government's recent ban on door-to-door sales of energy-related products.

• Door-to-door sales scams continue despite Alberta ban

Though Bruni-Bossiosaid victims of fraud can be of any age, it is the No. 1 crime committed against seniors.

Not 'stupid people'

As part of Wednesday's newsconference, a victim of fraud shared her story.

In 2004, Lisa Ouellette and her husband met the father of her son's best friend. She said he seemed to be hard-working not flashy, but well-kept.

They hung out together a few times before he proposed they go into business, fixing up properties and selling them. He and another person would provide the legwork. All the Ouellettes had to do was provide the capital. The partners would split the profits

At first, everything seemed fine. But a while later, a friend pulled Lisa Ouellette aside and told her the man she was working with had scammed people in the past.

"Not all was what it seemed," Lisa Ouellette said.

When the Ouellettesapproached the man about the other scams, he denied everything, she said. "He had an answer for everything.

"He assured us that these people were lying."

The man had stolen the couple'sidentities, opening accounts at various stores, forging their signatures andgoing to the bank to impersonate Ouellette's husband to make a payment.

"We don't consider ourselves to be stupid people," Lisa Ouellette said.

'Still paying to this day'

The Ouellettes filed a police report. After building a case against the man, police charged him with fraud.

The man was convicted, but the Ouellettes are still suffering after losing more than $100,000.

"We are still paying to this day," LisaOuellette said. "We were the lucky ones we got out with our health, our marriage and our family intact."

Bruni-Bossio said the community should reach out to victims of fraud to support them. Victims can often be embarrassed about being scammed, so EPS is encouraging Edmontonians to reach out to them.

And to avoid future scams, Bruni-Bossiooffered one key piece of advice.

"When in doubt," he said, "get out."

• Latest phone scam draws attention of Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre