Scammers are targeting wildfire evacuees in Saskatchewan, says the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan (FCAA), as it cautions residents to be on the lookout.
Messages claiming to be from the Canadian Red Cross are being sent out that ask for personal and banking information in order to process payments.
The Canadian Red Cross has issued a fraud alert regarding Manitoba and Saskatchewan wildfires advising that individuals eligible for financial assistance will NOT have to provide their social insurance number, bank account information or credit card number during their registration to receive assistance.
The FCAA encourages everyone to be mindful if you are contacted by a charitable organization requesting personal or banking information.
Scam red flags (email, phone and text):
- Emails coming from a domain that does not match the company
- Unsolicited calls or texts from unknown numbers
- Messages with spelling or grammar errors
- Requests for personal or banking information
- Pressure to act quickly
- Too-good- to-be-true offers
- Suspicious links and attachments
- If you are unable to confirm the organization’s registration or licence
Tips to protect yourself from scams:
- Do not answer or engage with unsolicited messages
- Do not click on any links or attachments
- Never share personal information (SIN, bank account, credit card) through email, phone or text
- If you suspect you have received a scam email, phone call or text, contact your local police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre immediately
The FCAA licenses for-profit charitable fund-raising businesses acting on behalf of a registered charity.
Click here to check the charitable fundraising businesses licensed through the FCAA.
Charities acting on their own behalf, including the Canadian Red Cross, are registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Click here to check the charities registered with the CRA.
For more information about donating to a charity, visit the FCAA’s website.
