South Okanagan Similkameen RCMP warn of fraud where people are picking up bank cards to steal funds

Photo: RCMP

South Okanagan Similkameen RCMP is warning the public of a scam circulating in the community, where fraudsters are picking up bank cards in person to defraud victims.

In this alleged scheme,RCMP said the victim receives a phone call from someone claiming to be an investigator from the fraud department of a banking institution.

"The fraudster then advises the victim that their banking cards had been compromised and requested their address so the banking institution could send someone to their residence collect them, and hand-deliver their replacement cards to them the next day," the RCMP added.

Once the fraudster had obtaining their address, they come to the victim’s residence to collect their banking cards, with the promise that they will return to deliver their replacement cards in person the next day.

"After obtaining their bank cards, the fraudster then transfers funds from the victim’s accounts."

The RCMP shared these tips to protect from banking card frauds:

• Be skeptical of unsolicited phone calls from unknown numbers, especially those requesting for your personal information;
• Never share your credit card or banking card PIN verbally with anyone;
• If you believe your credit or banking card has been compromised, contact the phone number on the card itself for more information;
• Never provide your banking cards to anyone to dispose of them;
• Replacement cards will never be hand-delivered to your residence: they will either be sent to your address by mail or delivered to a local financial institution for you to pick up after verifying your identity.

Police ask anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a fraud to report the incident to their local department.