A new scam is targeting youth in Maple ridge.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, (CAFC), is reporting that they have received complaints of a potential new extortion scam where the suspect sends a text message claiming to be from The Fraser Health Child Abuse and Neglect – Maple Ridge Services.
This is a scam! If your child gets this message, contact your local police and report it to the CAFC. Learn more: https://t.co/A4PSav8B6n #FPM2023 pic.twitter.com/M7hP3m2zD0
— Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (@canantifraud) March 17, 2023
According to the anti-fraud centre, in the text the suspect says they have received multiple reports of child abuse at the home and need to talk to the parent involved.
Then they threaten the youth saying if the youth doesn’t share the number of their parent, they will come to their house and take their family to the police.
The message reads: Hello this is (name) from Fraser Health Child Abuse and Neglect – Maple Ridge Services. We have gotten multiple reports that you and your little brother (name) are being neglected and abused verbally and physically. We require your parental figures phone number to work this out or we will have to locate your house and take you and your family down to the station. Thank you, (name).
“This is a scam! If your child gets this message, contact your local police and report it to the CAFC,” said the centre online.
The Ridge Meadows RCMP said they have not yet received any local complaints related to this scam.
“It is very concerning to hear that someone is impersonating Fraser Health and targeting youth for fraudulent purposes,” said Amory Wong, a senior communications consultant with the health authority. “Fraser Health would never contact a youth – or any person – in this manner to follow up on allegations of abuse. Any person who receives a text message like this should not engage and should contact their local police.”
In 2022, the anti-fraud centre reports, there were 91,190 reports of fraud, 57,055 victims of fraud, and $531 million lost to fraud. As of January 31 this year, there were 6,610 reports of fraud, 3,923 victims of fraud, and $43.6 million lost to fraud across the country.
The agency also reports that March is Fraud Prevention Month and the top frauds of 2023 are investment scams, spear phishing, service scams and phishing.
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The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is a national repository for information about fraud that helps individuals and businesses report fraud, learn about different types of fraud, recognize the warning signs, and learn how to protect themselves from fraud. The agency is jointly managed by the RCMP, the Competition Bureau of Canada, and the Ontario Provincial Police.
To learn how to identify fraud attempts and get tips on how to protect yourself go to antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/features-vedette/2023/02/tricks-trade-ficelles-metier-eng.htm.
To contact the Ridge Meadows RCMP call 604-463-6251.
* The News has also reached out to the CAFC for further comment
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