Earlier this month on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, to increase awareness among seniors and their families, the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority provided tips and tricks on how to avoid scams.

FCAA Director of Enforcement Shawn Cook says twenty-nine per cent of Canadians know a senior that has been the victim of a financial scams. Senior scams can come in several different forms. These include door-to-door salespeople, internet scams through pop-up ads or emails, collection agents calling on the phone, online dating scams, and callers pretending to be family members over the phone.

The family member scam has been prevalent around the Saskatoon area, with several arrests being made in mid-January of this year. A scammer will make a phone call to the senior claiming to be their relative, in trouble, and in need of money.

Cook says there are ways to investigate whether the call is legitimate or not. Always ask ‘who is this?’ instead of providing the caller with a name or identity to fill in the blank. Don’t be afraid to ask personal questions that only a real relative would know the answer to.

He adds that anyone who thinks they are a victim of fraud, or a scam should contact local police, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and the Securities Division of the FCAA.