RCMP i.e. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has warned people to stay alert and awake in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. The crisis has resulted in a number of scams. This increase has been reported after the re-open of the pandemic. These scams mostly include defrauding people through CERB (Canada Emergency Response Benefit) which provides financial help to the people who were affected by COVID-19. Frauds can also take place through the return to work strategies, door to door sales offers, or others.
Fraudsters generally assist common people with their applications. They would do this in exchange for a marginal fee. They would then ask for personal information from the people, their financial information, and social insurance numbers.
After seeking this information, these fraudsters would take a fake identity of the victim or would themself apply for the benefits of CERB. It is extremely important to have a careful watch for probable upcoming danger and have the utmost care before providing any information to someone. Also, application for CERB is free so it becomes very easy for fraudsters to apply for it.
Here are some points to be taken care of:
◆Not to get lured by “get quick rich” schemes.
◆Avoid paying for start-up costs or employment opportunities.
◆Application of CERB is free
◆Avoid consulting your peer group including professional work peers when you are surfing out services or completing online applications.
◆Consult the respective company and have a confirmation before accepting any door to door services.
◆Refrain from providing contact details and financial data to unprompted people or companies.
Those who have been victims of any such activity should report the incident to local police.