By Steve Hubrecht
Columbia Valley residents can’t be too careful when it comes to online fraud.
As reported a couple of weeks ago in the Pioneer, Columbia Valley RCMP Sgt. Jeff Witzke underscored a rise in online fraud in the valley to Invermere council during his quarterly report. Since then, Witzke has carried similar warnings to both Radium Hot Springs council and Canal Flats council.
“One of the biggest ones is actually romance scams,” Witzke told Canal Flats councillors.
The officer related a recent story about an older male valley resident. “He thought he had found love online. His new girlfriend (asked) ‘just pay for my car to get repaired (and for) Apple gift cards and Google gift cards’,” explained Witzke. The cashier at the store realized something was amiss. She told the lovestruck man it was a scam and that she was not comfortable selling him the cards.
“She calls us (the RCMP) right away. We go and track them down. We sat with him (the scam victim) for an hour (telling him): ‘this is a scam. Stop it. But he was adamant that this was true love,” said Witzke. “The very next day he was back at the store buying more gift cards.”
The Columbia Valley RCMP deals with one to three such calls each week, often involving scams of up to $30,000 or $40,000 or worse — “people being drained of their life savings,” outlined Witzke.
He repeated the tale of the besotted (infatuated) older resident to Radium council members. Councillor Christi Ferguson-Huston said a friend of her mother fell victim to a similar scam.
“She’s a smart lady. But she got caught up somehow or other and she lost everything, at 75,” said Ferguson-Huston, adding the woman was forced to sell her house simply to get out of debt.
Radium mayor Mike Gray asked if the rising trend of online fraud is specific to the Columbia Valley or is happening elsewhere. Witzke replied it is increasing all over Canada.
Councillor Erin Palashniuk asked if the Columbia Valley RCMP are interested in having a volunteer community patrol in Radium. “Absolutely,” replied Witzke. “If there are volunteers (in Radium), we are definitely interested in that.” Witzke noted the Cranbrook RCMP detachment recently had a citizen volunteer speed watch patrol that met with success.
Ferguson-Huston asked what kind of crimes the RCMP typically see in Radium. “There are a lot of mischief calls and a lot of noise complaints, at the hotels, for instance, with people shouting late at night. It’s not a lot of violent crimes … it’s relatively low key,” added Witzke.
Gray asked about people camping long-term along Forsters Landing Road.
Witzke advised that this falls under the jurisdiction of either the Conservation Officer Service or the provincial Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. But Witzke said — from what he understands — 14 consecutive days is the maximum people are allowed to camp on Crown land in British Columbia. After that, the campers must move at least 100 metres away. But, Witzke noted, there are cases when the campers do simply move just 100 metres away and set up camp again (which they are legally allowed to do).
