With a marked increase in telephone scams, the East Algoma OPP is planning a special seminar for the public on how to avoid being scammed.
Constable Phil Young, community safety officer with the Elliot Lake East Algoma OPP detachment, is urging members of the public to take advantage of an upcoming seminar on Jan. 21, 2020.
“Unfortunately, we now live in an electronic world. This change is difficult to accept for a lot of people. Everything is transforming to a paperless society. It’s hard to keep up with these vast changes to the way we live today,” he said. “Not everyone is comfortable doing business on a computer, tablet, or cell phone. The internet is a great tool for research, shopping, communication, etc. But, it can also be dangerous if you don’t take certain precautions to protect yourself. This information session lets the public know about what’s out there, and how to avoid falling victim to these scams.”
The event is being provided by a specialty unit within the OPP who are attending Elliot Lake to provide this service. OPP units will be conducting similar seminars in communities across northern Ontario.
Many people have already been contacted by phone from services such as the Canada Revenue Service calling about taxes owed and wanting money immediately before court action is taken. The CRS does not contact people by phone which means the calls are being conducted by scam artists.
Constable Young is hoping people will take advantage of this free service to learn how to deal with suspicious telephone calls.
The seminar will take place at the Renaissance Active Living Centre on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020 starting at 1 p.m.