With Black Friday and Cyber Monday fast approaching, the Alberta RCMP is encouraging residents to exercise caution when shopping online.
According to the RCMP, many reports of credit card fraud occur after the incident as people don’t often know they’ve become a victim until after the next billing cycle.
Last year, the RCMP was made aware of 51 reports of unauthorized use of credit card data, with most reports occurring in November, December, and January.
In addition, across RCMP jurisdictions, police received 2,399 reports of fraud greater than $5,000, and a further 6,374 reports of fraud less than or equal to $5,000.
The holiday season also seems to cause a spike in reports of mischief involving data such as “trojan horse” scams, with eight being reported in November 2023, and three in December of the same year.
In response, the RCMP has issued a few safety tips to help shoppers better understand the risks of shopping online. Tips include only buying from reputable sources, avoiding the use of public wifi, and changing passwords often.
Anyone who believes they may be a victim of fraud or are actively being targeted by fraud is asked to report it to local law enforcement, your bank and credit card company, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
