What's Happening?
SUMMER WEATHER IS HERE AND SO ARE OPPORTUNISTIC THIEVES!
FOUR THINGS BURGLARS DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW:
* An Open Garage is an Open Invitation - even if you are home or in the backyard
* A Dark Home is a Prime Target - leave the outside lights on at night or use
motion activated lights/camera combo
* Simple Devices Make Burglars Think Twice - consider installing a doorbell
camera with 2 way-talk and answer your door from anywhere in the world
* A Barking Dog draws too much attention - big dogs are the best deterrent but
even small, yappy dogs get the job done
ROBBERY PREVENTION FOR BUSINESSES
TARGET HARDENING TOOLS AND TIPS
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1. LOOK SAFE
- Make sure windows are not cluttered with posters and advertisements
- Maintain clear sight lines with open visibility
- Keep the store clean and uncluttered
2. BE IN CHARGE
- Greet each person as they enter the store
- Look customers directly in the eyes
- Maintain friendly eye contact with customers, ask if they require assistance
3. MONITOR DANGER
- Be aware of individuals "casing" the store
- Unnecessary lingering and loitering are suspicious behaviours
- If you feel uneasy or apprehensive call the Police non-emergency number 604-792-4611
4. REDUCE CASH
- Keep very little cash in till
- Move large bills and amounts of cash to a safe several times a day
- Keep POS devices close to cashier
Business owners can obtain doorway height strips and resource material from the Crime Prevention Office located at 45877 Wellington Ave.
Scam Alert:
OF INTEREST RIGHT NOW TO THE CITY OF CHILLIWACK
BE ON ALERT FOR THE GRANPARENT SCAM!
Don't be fooled!
A scammer contacts an elderly person and pretends to be a grandchild or a
family member in some kind of trouble and in need of immediate financial
assistance. In this typical scenario the scammer will tell the victim that they have
been arrested and require bail money, have been in a car accident, need money
to cover hospital costs or are having trouble returning from a foreign country. For
verification, the elderly person is given a phone number to call, which will be
answered by someone pretending to be a lawyer or a police officer. The scammer
will ask questions during the call, getting the victim to volunteer personal
information. The "grandchild/family member" will insist that the victim not
contact their parents or relatives as they don't want to get into more trouble. The
victim is then asked to use a money service business or bank E-transfer to send
several thousands of dollars for bail. Sometimes, arrangements will be made to
pick the money up at your residence. Remember, Police, judges or legal entities
will never request money. Don't give out personal information to the caller.
Confirm with other relatives the whereabouts of the family member or friend in
question before even considering sending money. Never send money through
money wire services or E-transfer to persons you don't know personally. Verify
the person's identity before you take any steps to help. Ask the caller a question
that only that person would know the answer to. The money can be picked up
anywhere in the world once it is given a transaction number.
If you do fall victim to a Scam Artist contact the Police IMMEDIATELY!
- Door-to-Door Scams
o Some companies & organizations are conducting door-to-door; however, we advise everyone to firstly ask for the individuals name and ID number, confirm that this individual is an employee with the company – via phone call – and also confirm that their company is in fact running a door-to-door solicitation
- CRA Phone Call Scams
o Please be advised that the CRA will never – even during COVID-19 – issue arrest warrants or ask for payments over the phone; if you receive a call asking you to pay to avoid arrest, hang up and call the Chilliwack RCMP Non-emergency line at (604) 792-4611
- SIM Swapping Scams
o This relatively new scam comes in the form of an email; the scammer will contact you under an email domain similar to your provider’s and offer “limited time offers”, these can be difficult to spot, however if the email senders name does not specifically state Shaw/Telus/Rogers, etc. then it is likely a scam. To make sure, contact your provider to confirm the limited time offers that are listed in the email
- Amazon Scamming Information
o Individuals are receiving calls and texts from scammers staging as Amazon employees. They will ask for Credit Card info or your Amazon Account details, they may even as to remotely connect to your computer. This is a scam and should be reported to the local authorities.
Stay safe from scammers this holiday season by getting to know their most common scams:
Here are some important tips so that you can identify scams and keep your account and information safe:
- "Dubai Gold Scam"
o This scam is where the suspect will convince unsuspecting victims regarding Dubai Gold for cheap prices ($200 - $1000). This has been happening frequently across the Lower Mainland. If this happens to you please contact the RCMP as well as the BC Fraud Alert Line.
If you believe you may have been scammed, call the RCMP Non-emergency line (604 792-4611) and the BC Fraud Alert Line (1-800-348-5358).
We hope you are all staying safe.
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o Some companies & organizations are conducting door-to-door; however, we advise everyone to firstly ask for the individuals name and ID number, confirm that this individual is an employee with the company – via phone call – and also confirm that their company is in fact running a door-to-door solicitation
- CRA Phone Call Scams
o Please be advised that the CRA will never – even during COVID-19 – issue arrest warrants or ask for payments over the phone; if you receive a call asking you to pay to avoid arrest, hang up and call the Chilliwack RCMP Non-emergency line at (604) 792-4611
- SIM Swapping Scams
o This relatively new scam comes in the form of an email; the scammer will contact you under an email domain similar to your provider’s and offer “limited time offers”, these can be difficult to spot, however if the email senders name does not specifically state Shaw/Telus/Rogers, etc. then it is likely a scam. To make sure, contact your provider to confirm the limited time offers that are listed in the email
- Amazon Scamming Information
o Individuals are receiving calls and texts from scammers staging as Amazon employees. They will ask for Credit Card info or your Amazon Account details, they may even as to remotely connect to your computer. This is a scam and should be reported to the local authorities.
Stay safe from scammers this holiday season by getting to know their most common scams:
- Order confirmation scams. These are unexpected calls/texts/emails that often refer to an unauthorized purchase and ask you to act urgently to confirm or cancel the purchase. These scammers try to convince you to provide payment or bank account information, install software to your computer/device, or purchase gift cards.
- Tech support scams. Scammers create fake websites claiming to provide tech support for your devices and Amazon services. Customers who land on these pages are lured to contact the scammer and fall prey to their schemes.
Here are some important tips so that you can identify scams and keep your account and information safe:
- Trust Amazon-owned channels. Always go through the Amazon mobile app or website when seeking customer service, tech support, or when looking to make changes to your account.
- Be wary of false urgency. Scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they're asking. Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now.
- Never pay over the phone. Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information, including gift cards (or “verification cards”, as some scammers call them) for products or services over the phone.
- "Dubai Gold Scam"
o This scam is where the suspect will convince unsuspecting victims regarding Dubai Gold for cheap prices ($200 - $1000). This has been happening frequently across the Lower Mainland. If this happens to you please contact the RCMP as well as the BC Fraud Alert Line.
If you believe you may have been scammed, call the RCMP Non-emergency line (604 792-4611) and the BC Fraud Alert Line (1-800-348-5358).
We hope you are all staying safe.
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Chilliwack Break & Enter Spree
Recently there has been an increase of car break-ins as well as garage break-ins in Chilliwack! The suspects have been able to gain access to the garages by using the garage openers left in vehicles. We advise everyone to conduct a “9 p.m. Routine” and remove all values (including keys, garage door openers, etc.) at 9 p.m.
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Crime Reporting Options
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