News Release

Kick-off for Fraud Prevention Month in Edmonton
EPS premieres Economic Crimes Section awareness video

The Edmonton Police Service and its partners in government, law enforcement and business are kicking off Fraud Prevention Month with advice to help citizens avoid becoming victims of economic crimes. The EPS is also premiering its “This is Who We Are – Economic Crimes Section” video to help bring awareness to the investigative work that is done behind the scenes on police files.

“We’ve seen an overall increase in the number of frauds being reported to police, but we know these crimes are underreported by the public,” says Staff Sgt. Dan Service with the Economic Crimes Section. “We want the public to know that there is help available, not only to prevent these crimes but to investigate them, and there are mechanisms in place to seek compensation in some situations. Fraud awareness is ongoing – we need to recognize it, report it, and stop it.”

Throughout March, EPS and its partners will be highlighting common frauds such as: romance and grandparent scams; homeowner, renovation and mortgage swindles; identity and payment card thefts; business and charity deceits; and email and online schemes. Fraud Prevention Month partners include: Government of Alberta, RCMP K Division, Better Business Bureau, Competition Bureau, Canadian Western Bank, and Alberta Motor Association.

“Our shared objective and one of my ministry’s primary goals is the education and protection of Alberta consumers,” says the Hon. Stephen Khan, Minister of Service Alberta. “My staff works tirelessly to look out for consumers and encourage confidence in a fair and trustworthy Alberta marketplace.”

A variety of fraud awareness resources are available for the public online from Service Alberta, the Competition Bureau, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, including the Little Black Book of Scams. For additional fraud and crime prevention tips, please visit http://www.edmontonpolice.ca/crimeprevention.

If you are a victim of a fraud, or have knowledge of an economic crime, please contact the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at http://www.tipsubmit.com/start.htm.