Presented by

Terry Wright

Public Education Volunteer

Seniors First BC

WORKSHOP ON COVID-19 RELATED FRAUDS AND

SCAMS

• Charitable, non-profit, provincial society

• Supports and advocates for older adults vulnerable to abuse or neglect in B.C.

o Common types of abuse: - physical, mental, emotional harm - damage or loss to personal finances

Overview of Programs

• Seniors Abuse and Information Line (SAIL)

• Victim Services

• Legal Services

• Public Education and Outreach

Seniors Abuse and Information Line A safe place for older adults and those who care about them to talk to someone about situations of abuse and

mistreatment.

• Referrals to Seniors First BC‟s programs and other resources

• Callers remain anonymous o Unless referred to other Seniors First BC‟s

programs • TTY and Language Interpretation available • Funded by Province of British Columbia

Victim Services

• Serves adults aged 50+ who have been victims of abuse, family and/or sexual violence

• Safety planning

• Liaison with justice system personnel

• Assistance with CVAP Applications

• Information and referrals e.g. criminal justice system

• Provides emotional support to anyone who has witnessed abuse to older adults, regardless of age

• Funded by Province of British Columbia

Legal Services

• Assist eligible older adults 55+ with select legal issues

• Levels of service:

o Legal information and referral

o Summary advice

o Full representation

• Funded by the Law Foundation of British Columbia

Legal Issues We Assist With

• Housing: o residential tenancy o assisted living o residential care

• Debt • Government benefits: o Federal

(e.g. OAS/GIS) o Provincial

(e.g. SAFER)

• Financial exploitation: o misuse of powers

of attorney o joint bank accounts o wills challenges

• Other elder abuse • Guardianship/Incapacity • Age Discrimination

Free legal consultations for seniors, by appointment:

• 1st Tuesday from 2 to 4 pm

at 750 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster (Seniors Services Society) • 2nd Tuesday from 11 am to 12:30 pm

at Room 205-10350 University Drive, Surrey (Surrey City Centre Public Library) • 3rd Tuesday from 11 am to 1:30 pm

at 2055 Rosser Avenue, Burnaby (Brentwood Community Resource Centre) • 4th Tuesday from 10 am to 2 pm

at 201-935 Marine Dr., North Vancouver (North Shore Community Resources Society)

• 4th Wednesday from 11 am to 2 pm at 118-1030 Denman Street, Vancouver (WESN)

• 1st Thursday from 9:30 am to 12 pm at 150-900 Howe Street, Vancouver (People‟s Law School)

• Due to COVID-19 it is temporarilysuspended but we will be resuming soon.

To book an appointment, call 604-336-5653

Public Education and Outreach

• Workshops o General Public o Service Providers

• Publications

o “When I‟m 64” booklets

o “Understanding and Responding to Elder Abuse”

o “Legal Issues in Residential Care: An Advocate‟s Manual”

• Website - www.SeniorsFirstBC.ca o Information/resource

s on elder law and issues affecting older adults

• Law Reform • Media

Funded by the Province of British Columbia

Learning Goals

• How do COVID frauds and scams target consumers?

• What is identity theft?

• What are some ways to prevent identity theft?

Information

• NOT providing advice

• Information about options and rights

Covid-19 Related Frauds

& Scams (COVID-19=COVID in

these slides)

Common Types of Frauds & Scams

• Money Transfers

• Emergency Scams

• New Best Friend

• Sweepstakes/Lotteries

• Home Renovations

• Health & Medical Scams

• Fake Charities

Common Internet Frauds & Scams

•Email Offers

•Software Viruses

•Bogus Ads

•Online Dating Sites

•Bank Scams

– aka “phishing”

Scam Protection – if you don’t read anything else

• Don’t give out personal info without verification • Used for identity theft

• Don’t accept overpayments with refunds • Don’t click on links unless you have verified them • Don’t send money without verification • If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is • Install protective software and keep it updated • Backup your important data.

Scam types for COVID times-1

• Friend/Romance Scams • People are more lonely with COVID • Starts with online dating or a “wrong number” • Relationship over weeks or more • Avoids meeting face-to-face • May borrow and pay back small amounts of money –

gains your trust • Then a larger amount – and vanishes

• May ask for repeated financial help

Scam types for COVID times-2

• Links, pop-ups, zip files, fake websites • False Public Health Web Pages • False Charities/CRA – go to the official web site check

CRA • False future cruise assistance – need CC or bank #’s • Don’t click without verification • If they lock your PC – power off and restart your PC

(may need to remove laptop battery)

Scam types for COVID times-3

Emails from “authorities” • Offer EI funds or cheques – want your personal info • Offer info on Safety Measures or symptoms of COVID

– Google to an Official source • Financial advisors – COVID related stocks. • Invoices on emails may have been hacked. Be sure

the account numbers and amounts are correct. • Don’t reply – use an alternate method to contact the

source

Scam types for COVID times-4

• Phone calls about COVID • From Canadian Govt COVID information service! • Public Health Agency of Canada or Centres for Disease

Control or World Health Organization – COVID in your area – funding or want health card or credit card

• You have tested positive for COVID – we need your information

• I can provide a test for you – ensure verification of source

• Power company threatening disconnect – not done at this time

• Air filters to protect you from COVID – they do not exist.

Scam types for COVID times-5

• Text messages

• Link to Canada Relief Fund or Emergency Relief

Fund – to give you funds or ask for money • Canadian Red Cross offering free face mask • Free points for grocery or drug store • Hang up – restart your PC – take it to a trusted geek

if necessary

Scam types for COVID times-5

Source: The Nanaimo RCMP say a new text scam related to COVID-19 is circulating across the

island: (CTV News)

Going Phishing

• What makes the email seem real?

• What looks suspicious?

• If it looks or sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Don‟t sign up or agree to „special‟ offers or deals readily.

Ways to Beat Frauds & Scams

More Ways to Beat Frauds & Scams

• Don‟t provide your personal and/or financial

information to others

– until you have verified their credentials

and reputation.

• Seek independent advice from people or

organizations you trust

– if an offer involves your money, personal

information, time or commitment.

Identity Theft

•Thousands of victims each year in Canada

•Personal information is invaluable

•Can have catastrophic results for victims

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Factsheets, Identity Theft, online: <http://www.priv.gc.ca/fs-fi/index_e.cfm> [OPC]

An Identify Thief Can…

• Apply for credit cards or loans

• Open a bank account

• Write bad cheques

• Acquire new government documents

• Sell or mortgage your house

OPC, Factsheets, Identity Theft, online: <http://www.priv.gc.ca/fs-fi/index_e.cfm>

What Can Be Done for Victims of Frauds & Scams

•Call Seniors Abuse & Information Line or Lawyer Referral Service

•Find out if there is a legal solution

OR

•File an official complaint with BBB or OBSI

Reporting Frauds & Scams

• File a report by contacting: • Your local police force (NOT 911) • Your bank/financial institution

and credit card company • Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at by

telephone at 1-888-495-8501. • Call the national credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit reports:

• Equifax Canada 1-800-465-7166 • TransUnion Canada 1-800-663-9980

RESOURCES

Seniors

Abuse and

Information

Line (SAIL)

A safe place for older

adults, and those who

care about them, to talk

to someone about

situations where they

feel they are being

abused or mistreated, or

to receive information

about elder abuse

prevention.

Seniors Abuse and Information Line

(SAIL)

604-437-1940 1-866-437-1940 (toll free)

Available 8am to 8pm daily, excluding holidays

TTY: 604-428-3359 1-855-306-1443 (toll free) Available 9am to 4pm

Monday-Friday

Language Interpretation Available 9am to 4pm

Monday-Friday

THANK YOU! QUESTIONS?

COVID -19 UPDATE & RESOURCES:

Visit our website at http://seniorsfirstbc.ca/

for detailed information of our services and

programs, COVID-19 related resources and

frauds and Scams resource list.