In response to a rise in fraud cases targeting older adults, the Estevan Police Service is hosting a fraud prevention night on Monday, March 24. The event will educate the community on common scams, including email fraud, CRA scams, romance scams and gift card scams.
“This will be the first one that we've done to my recollection, and it's basically an information session where people can be educated and be made aware of what's out there—how they can determine if something is a scam or not when dealing with emails and things like that,” said Constable Geoff Theissen.
Local banks, which have seen firsthand the impact of financial scams, are supporting the initiative and will discuss fraud trends they are encountering. Representatives will provide insights into how scammers operate and what red flags people should watch for.
“These scams and frauds are getting a lot more authentic and credible, and we just want to create an environment where people are willing to share their experiences and talk about what they've been through without that embarrassment or shame or guilt,” said Constable Danielle Stephany.
A key focus of the session will be reducing the stigma around falling victim to fraud. Many people hesitate to report scams out of embarrassment, but organizers stress that scammers are professionals who target individuals with increasingly sophisticated schemes.
“Everybody knows somebody who's been fallen victim to a scam or maybe they have themselves,” said Stephany. “And if we can all put our heads together, maybe we can battle this and stop these people from doing this.”
The session will also cover common fraud tactics, such as urgent requests for money, prize notifications requiring deposits, and fraudulent emails or texts impersonating government agencies or businesses.
“We know what's happening, and thank you for the ones who have been reporting, but we want to also help support the ones who might fear reporting,” said Stephany.
Theissen added that the fraud being reported is only a small fraction of what is taking place in the community.
The event will take place Monday, March 24, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Estevan. No registration is required.