Whistler RCMP have issued a warning after some residents in Whistler and Pemberton were defrauded of thousands of dollars.
Over the last week, police said several people have received phone calls demanding money to avoid some type of prosecution or arrest.
While most callers made the correct choice by hanging up, some were scammed out of thousands of dollars in both communities, Whistler RCMP said.
The scammers claimed they were calling from the police, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), banks, local businesses, Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA), and Service Canada.
In all cases, the caller claims the victim must pay a debt to avoid prosecution, arrest, liens, stoppage of benefits, deportation or to correct a bad credit rating.
The method of payment demanded in the last week has been Bitcoin or Visa or Google pay card, although it could be any type of gift card.
They usually have the victim purchase a large quantities of cards, peel off the security covers on the cards, and provide the information over the phone.
The Whistler RCMP are warning that if any caller claims to be from a government agency, a bank or business, please use caution, take the time to confirm the callers information, provide no personal information, and ask questions.
In some of cases, the caller offers to transfer to an investigating officer. They are just passing the phone to another scammer.
If you are suspicious, look up the number to the agency they claim to work for yourself and make a call to confirm.
Any legitimate government agency or business will not object to you phoning back to confirm the callers information, police said.
RCMP are advising the public that police, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), banks, Canada Border Service agency (CBSA), and Service Canada do not contact people by phone and demand gift cards to settle any alleged debt or to avoid prosecution.
Victims should their local RCMP office as well as contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or 1-888-495-8501.
