Salmon Arm police and support organizations are uniting to help residents protect themselves against fraud.
Common frauds and scams will be the focus of an upcoming presentation by Salmon Arm Const. Lana McNeil and retired RCMP member Garry Loeppky at the First United Church on Thursday, June 12. Joining them will be Tabitha Grey of Service Canada who will be sharing how to protect your identity and other important information.
The event is being hosted by the Salmon Arm and area Community Response Network, the SAFE Society and First Community. It's goal is to "equip you with essential knowledge and strategies to protect yourself and loved ones from fraudulent activities."
"The Salmon Arm RCMP and Service Canada are the guest speakers and from their presentations you will learn about; common types of frauds and scams, red flags to watch out for, practical steps for safeguarding personal information and steps to take if you suspect fraudulent activity," said the organizers in a post shared on social media. "Please join us for this free, yet valuable information session to increase your awareness and security."
According to the RCMP, victims of fraud and cybercrime lost more than $638 million in 2024. In a March 2025 news release for Fraud Prevention Month, Competition Bureau Canada stated the top three most reported types of fraud were identity fraud, service fraud, and investment fraud, "all designed to get you to pay or give away sensitive information like your social insurance number, passwords or banking details."
The top three frauds reported with the highest level of financial impact were investment frauds, spear phishing, and romance scams.
The bureau also warned of a rise in impersonation fraud, "when fraudsters pretend to be trusted organizations, websites, and even another person to deceive people into their scams."
Doors open at 8:30 a.m. with presentations beginning at 9. Numerous organizations will have resource information available.
For more information, call 250-833-6100 or email crn@safesociety.ca.
