The City is warning residents to be vigilant about which sources they’re getting information from.
The message comes after a Facebook report was brought to their attention, suggesting the Lloydminster RCMP were pulling residents over and reprimanding them for being out in public. After looking into the incident, the RCMP is confirming the claim was not true.
Lloydminster EMO Manager Jordan Newton is cautioning the public to be wary of these kinds of false or potentially harmful social media posts.
“There’s multiple ways to protect yourself from falling victim to this type of spread information. You have to think: Is this source reliable? If you’re unsure whether it’s not or if it is true, don’t share it. And make sure to always do your own fact-checking.”
Previously the City and towns in the area have also warned people about other scams surfacing online and over the phone, including texts to Wainwright residents posing as Mayor Brian Bethune. While the text pretends to have information about COVID-19, if the link is clicked, it redirects to “inappropriate links.”
Newton adds that the City takes complaints about these scams very seriously.
“From our standpoint as well as the RCMP, the spread of [this] information and scams is very troubling, regardless of the situation.”
Anyone who believes they may be getting scammed can call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.