Fraud awareness efforts ramp up in Richmond: over $33 million lost in 2024

Richmond

2024-12-09 10:56 PST

Richmond RCMP is urging residents to stay vigilant as fraud schemes continue to evolve and target vulnerable groups, including seniors, international students, and new immigrants. From January to December 2024, Richmond residents have reported a total of 990 fraud cases so far, resulting in over $33 million in losses. The total reported losses in 2023 were $34,658,610.37 across 945 cases.

Among the most concerning trends are money mule schemes, which are increasingly targeting international students and individuals new to Canada. Criminals use tactics such as false job offers, romance scams, and threats to recruit individuals to unknowingly participate in money laundering activities.

What is a money mule?

A money mule is someone who transfers stolen funds on behalf of criminals, often under the guise of a job offer, personal favour, or investment opportunity. Victims may be asked to open bank accounts in their own names or use their personal accounts to move money, unknowingly becoming part of illegal activities.

Economic Crime Unit insights

We are seeing an increase in money mule recruitment, especially among international students, says Sergeant Dave Au, Richmond RCMP Economic Crime Unit. These individuals are often tricked into believing they are helping someone or earning a legitimate income. What they don’t realize is that this makes them complicit in money laundering.

Richmond RCMP’s Economic Crime Unit (ECU) is comprised of highly skilled investigators who specialize in combating complex financial crimes, including cryptocurrency fraud and emerging threats like deepfake technology. Their collaborative work across jurisdictions aims to ensure victims receive justice and fraudsters face consequences.

Top fraud categories of 2024 include:

• Investment scams
• Crypto scams
• Phone scams
• Romance scams

Fraudsters continue to exploit trust and fear, with tactics evolving to include digital platforms and social engineering. Read more about common scams on the BC RCMP website.

Community outreach and engagement

Richmond RCMP’s ECU, Community Engagement Team (CET), and volunteers have been actively working to prevent fraud through public outreach efforts:

• Summer outreach: Officers and volunteers set up fraud prevention booths at the Richmond Night Market and conducted local presentations, engaging with thousands of residents to raise awareness.
• Shopping centre outreach: On October 27, the ECU engaged with over 1000 shoppers at T&T Market, sharing fraud prevention pamphlets in multiple languages. 
  
  
• Presentations to seniors and community groups: CET and ECU are conducting fraud awareness presentations in senior centres and community groups, focusing on scams targeting vulnerable residents.

These efforts are ongoing, and aim to educate the public, encourage reporting, and empower the community to recognize and avoid scams.

Fraud prevention tips from the Economic Crime Unit

1. Verify offers: Be skeptical of unsolicited job offers, which should never require the use of your personal bank account to transfer money.
2. Don’t share financial information: Never provide banking details to someone you’ve only met online or through unsolicited messages.
3. Be cautious of cryptocurrency requests: Legitimate agencies will never ask for payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards.
4. Report suspicious activity: If you suspect fraud, report it to the Richmond RCMP non-emergency line at 604-278-1212 or to your police of jurisdiction.

Richmond RCMP urges all residents to report suspected fraud, even if no money has been lost. Reporting fraud helps disrupt criminal networks and prevents further victimization.

To learn more about protecting yourself and your loved ones from fraud, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.

Released by:

Email: richmond_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: richmond.rcmp.ca

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