Many residents of Prince Edward Island get text messages and phone calls from family, but lately some of those messages haven’t come from family at all. P.E.I. RCMP are sounding the alarm over a growing phone scam where callers pretend to be children or relatives urgently needing money. “These fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated,” reads a news release from RCMP on Thursday. “The individual may claim to be using a friend’s phone or are often able to manipulate caller ID information or use information gathered from social media to make their scam messages appear legitimate.” Islanders have reportedly been asked for thousands of dollars to be sent, making these scams a “serious financial threat,” according to authorities. New scams are emerging on a regular basis with fraudsters plotting to gain access to people’s money. According to a study by Narrative Research, three in 10 Canadians admit they’ve fallen victim to a scam, though that number may be higher as RCMP say many scams go unreported. The P.E.I. RCMP encourages Islanders to take precautions, such as: “If something feels suspicious, take time to verify before acting,” reads the release. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
