Economic Crime Section

The Economic Crime Section investigates Economic Crime, Identity Theft, and Scams involving amounts of $5,000 or more. To report fraudulent activity call Saskatoon Police at 306-975-8300. Incidents of Fraudulent Scams or Identity Theft may also be submitted online using the Saskatoon Police Online Reporting System

General Background

Most frauds are revivals of old schemes that have worked well in the past. The fraudsters may approach the victim in person, by telephone, fax, or over the Internet. This contact is unexpected and the victim often has no prior knowledge of the suspect. They will often pose a situation or a need that the victim was not aware of before the contact.

Most fraudsters or "con-artists" will make themselves out to be expert, legitimate, and/or persons in authority in order to gain the trust of the victim. To lend an air of authenticity to the scam, they will often piggy back their fraud onto a current legitimate business or societal trend that the victim is likely to be aware of.

These individuals who are using modern techniques rely on the same principals as those used in the past. They will insist on going outside "normal" payment routes and will insist that this is urgent, a onetime offer, and that all will be lost if not acted upon immediately. Legitimate companies may put pressure on you, but the deal will likely still be there tomorrow.

Typically the most vulnerable persons in society are also the most susceptible victims to this type of fraud; it is often the poor, desperate, lonely or the elderly that are most at risk.

Protecting Yourself From Fraud

Thousands of Canadians are defrauded each year. The scams come in a number of ways - over the phone, on the internet, or in the mail.

The first line of defense is to be skeptical of any approach that you did not initiate.
Remember: "If it sounds too good to be true..."

Do not bow to time pressure imposed by the individual - any legitimate deal will be there tomorrow. Take steps to guard your personal information at all times - do not give it out over the phone or the Internet unless you are 100 percent certain of the individual at the other end. You may need to verify the source through other means.

When making purchases over the phone or the Internet, take the time to verify the source of the communication through a third party. Most websites have a verification service and reporting system - use them. When you are sure of what you are purchasing and where it is located, use one of the established, third party payment companies. They are bonded and may assist you if you are cheated. If the seller insists on going through a different process (such a wire transfer), then there is a good chance that individual is attempting to defraud you.

Minimize your risk with the following tips.*

Never send money to someone claiming you've won a prize.
Before you reveal any personally identifying information, find out how it will be used and if it will be shared.
Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow up with creditors if your bills don't arrive on time.
Guard your mail. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox after delivery. Ensure mail is forwarded or re-routed if you move, or change your mailing address.
Utilize passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, and the last four digits of your SIN or your phone number.
Minimize the identification information and number of cards you carry.
Do not give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the internet unless you have initiated the contact or know whom you're dealing with.
Give your SIN only when absolutely necessary. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible.
Don't carry your SIN card; leave it in a secure place.

*Courtesy of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

Reporting

When you have been defrauded, we recommend that you report the matter immediately to the local police with jurisdiction for where the fraud took place. Many of these frauds are not possible to follow-up in any practical sense; especially those committed over the phone or Internet. Nevertheless, the Saskatoon Police Service has an interest in knowing about these events and would appreciate a timely report from you. Some incidents of Fraud and Identity Theft may be submitted online using the Saskatoon Police Online Reporting System. You may also report in person at our Service Centre located at the Headquarters building between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm daily. You will be notified directly if there is something further we can do to investigate your crime.

If you have been victimized while using a legitimate web based company; you should use their system to report the fraudulent activity. **If you believe your personal information has been compromised, contact your financial institutions as soon as practicable.**

Below are a number of third party monitoring agencies that may assist in tracking and reporting the latest internet and telephone scams:

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501 info@antifraudcentre.ca
CRA Charities directorate: 1-800-267-2384
Credit Bureaus - Equifax: 1-800-465-7166 or TransUnion: 1-866-525-0262
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada: 1-866-461-3222

You may submit fraud documentation electronically with your online report if the attachment is small. For larger or numerous documents, please forward hardcopies.

Providing paper documentation to add to your police report may be done in one of the following ways. Please ensure that your permanent file number has been added to this information.

Mail:

Saskatoon Police Service
Box 1728
Saskatoon, SK S7K 3R6

In person: drop off at the Front Desk of the Saskatoon Police Service between 08:00 - 17:00hrs daily.

Identity Theft

It is becoming more common - someone using your name and personal information to commit fraud.

You may be a victim of identity theft if:

A creditor informs you that an application for credit was received with your name and address, but which you did not apply for.
Telephone calls or letters state you have been approved or denied by a creditor that you never applied to.
You receive credit card statements or you notice that not all of your mail is delivered.
A collection agency informs you they are collecting for a defaulted account established with your identity.

Common Scams in Canada

Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are commonly used not only to commit fraud in cryptocurrency investment scams, but also as payment for other types of frauds and scams.

Fraudsters will offer victims opportunities to invest in cryptocurrency that promise high returns, in short time frames. The fraudster will often supply fake statements that appear to show that the victim is making large returns, which encourages the victim to make additional investments. When the victim tries to claim their capital or returns on these investments, the fraudster will often ask for a fee and subsequently disappear and block the victim from further contact. As the financial relationship was conducted entirely online, the identity of the fraudster is easily concealed.