A phone scam that has been turning up all over the Lower Mainland has arrived in Langley, and the RCMP are warning the public, and especially seniors, to be on guard.
Reports of the scam surfaced locally in late January, according to Sgt. Zynal Sharoom, the Langley RCMP spokesperson.
The scam begins with the victim receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be a fraud investigator for a financial institution. The "investigator" then tells the victim that their bank cards have been compromised, and their actual physical cards are required to complete the investigation, Sharoom said.
Once the victim gives their address, someone arrives in person, collects the cards, and also takes down the personal identification numbers (PINs) for the cards.
The scammers then head to a nearby bank or credit union ATM and empties out as much of the victims' accounts as possible.
"In all the incidents in Langley, the victims have been seniors," Sharoom said.
He noted that scammers prey on seniors to exploit their trust and vulnerability, knowing that they may not recognize the warning signs of fraud until it is too late.
Langley RCMP are working with police in other Lower Mainland jurisdictions to determine if these incidents are linked to each other.
Sharoom provided some tips to help people avoid being scammed:
• Do not share your personal information such as name, address, and date of birth with unknown individuals over the phone;
• Never share your banking information with anyone – this includes account and PIN numbers;
• Never hand over your banking information including banking cards to anyone who attends your residence; and
• Do not trust your caller identification numbers, and contact your financial institutions directly in person if you feel your banking cards have been compromised.
Anyone who has been scammed can contact the Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200.