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Worried about being ripped off? The Pembina Crisis Connection Society is partnering with the Drayton Valley Municipal Library to educate the public about avoiding scams.
Trish Howes, the executive director for PCCS, says they have been visiting seniors’ homes and talking to seniors about some of the more common scams that are circulating. They also hand out a package about elder abuse awareness and include The Little Black Book of Scams, which is a pamphlet produced by the Federal Government.
On November 5, Howes will be at the library speaking about the different scams that people might come across.
“It’s really about awareness, and just letting people know that there is this information out there,” says Howes.
While the session is open to everyone, Howes says she feels that the scams are often targeting seniors.
“They are not always equipped with the knowledge, or they’re not as tech savvy,” she says.
The book covers many different scams, how to recognize them, and tips for avoiding them. There are a variety of ways people can get taken advantage of. The book lists some more common tricks like phishing or smishing scams, where a scammer sends an email or text that looks like it came from a company and asks you for personal information, and emergency scams that often involve a scammer calling and pretending to be a loved one who has been arrested or kidnapped.
One of the more important pieces of information the booklet contains is how people can report scams and what steps to take if they are a victim.
Howes says PCCS has been handing out the booklets for about five years, but the pamphlet is updated from time to time. As time goes on, some of the scams are becoming more elaborate.
“These scams are getting really, really smart, too,” says Howes. “You don’t have to be a senior to fall victim to it.”
An RCMP Gazette article from March 2025 called The Cost of Fraud Exceeds Financial Loss, Victims Say, says Canadians lost $638 million in 2024. That number is up $60 million from 2023.
Howes hopes that by offering information, more people will start to be more cautious. With these information sessions, Howes also tells people that there are a number of places in the community that people can turn to for help if they aren’t sure whether something is a scam or not.
“They can come to an organization like ours, FCSS [Family and Community Support Services], or probably even somebody at the library could help them navigate whether it’s an actual scam,” she says.
The information session will be held at the Drayton Valley Library on November 5 at 6 p.m. Those who wish to register for free can contact the library at 780-514-2722.
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