Calgary shoppers get educated about how to spot a scam

Shoppers at Chinook Centre in Calgary received tips Friday on how to protect themselves from scammers

March is Fraud Prevention Month, and Friday at Chinook Centre, Calgary shoppers were educated in how to protect themselves.

The Better Business Bureau and community partners spent the morning spreading awareness of some of the most common scams, how to spot them, and how to prevent them.

The bureau recently released its 2024 Canada Risk Report.

It found the overall median dollar loss reported by Canadians last year was $311, up from $300 in 2023.

The top three riskiest scams are investment cryptocurrency, employment and home improvement.

“They all have ties together, especially the investment scams,” said Better Business Bureau Alberta-East Kootenay region spokesperson Odeta Doroftei. “We are seeing ties to the romance scam, also called the sweetheart scam but also friendship scams – it does not necessarily have to have a romantic element but just a friendship.

“But the idea is the same,” she added. “The trick is the same. The scam is the same.”

You can report scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre either by phone or online.