Swift Current City RCMP are working hard to combat a troublesome trend in growing fraud cases. 

During the quarterly report on crime statistics in Swift Current for January to March, it was revealed by City RCMP that fraud had jumped from 18 to 38 cases since the same time last year. That is a 211 per cent jump in fraud incidents. 

For Swift Current Staff Sergeant and Detachment Commander, Evan Gordon, this is a troubling trend to see on the rise, as it is hard to cut off at the source. 

The difficult part of these fraudsters is the inability to deal with them directly. RCMP often have to work with agencies outside of their immediate structure, with many of these scam centres and fraudulent organizations operating remotely and even out of the country. 

Most of these fraud scams target older adults with over-the-phone and email-related practices. They entice individuals into sending money via complicated schemes, lies, and coercion.

They also use other incentives like winning a prize, trip, or another false bit of good luck. By making it seem like good fortune, they are able to get people to participate eagerly in their dishonest intentions. 

"I know I've said it before and I'm going to say it again," began Gordon. "Anything that seems too good to be true usually is."

One of the more troubling things being seen in Swift Current is seniors being told they have a relative in jail, or possibly that they owe the government or another body money. The standard practice is to then pressure them into paying the falsely owed funds, be it to resolve the debt or to post bail, via gift cards. 

"A behaviour that's concerning could be something like buying 75 iTunes gift cards," exampled Gordon. 

City RCMP has begun working with locations like Pharmasave in order to give employees the skills to recognize when a transaction may be related to a fraud or scam. They are giving them the resources to then stop and ask if the customer is certain about this purchase, and to politely encourage them to think about if their purchase is part of a scam. 

"I've been in contact with our Chamber of Commerce to discuss some standardization of training for employees," said Gordon. "How they can best report crimes, what can they expect when they see things that are suspicious, and what questions to ask."

Residents of Swift Current are encouraged to report any scams they receive. If you think you or someone you know may have fallen victim to a scam, it's best to call the City RCMP at 306-778-4870. They can work with individuals to process if they are being scammed, and what steps can be taken next.