Wednesday September 11, 2024 | SOOKE, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Fraudulent Calls Requesting Donations to “the Fire Department” have been happening in Sooke.
Today the District of Sooke is advising residents to be cautious of fraudulent phone calls soliciting donations for Fire Rescue Services.
“It has come to our attention that individuals have been calling community members, falsely claiming to represent fire services and asking for financial contributions,” says the District of Sooke in a news release today.
The facts:
Sooke Fire Rescue Services does not solicit donations for any charitable works, such as fundraising in support of the Sooke Food Bank and Christmas Bureau, over the phone.
Any such requests should be treated as scams.
Do not provide personal or financial information:
If receiving a call of this nature, the municipality advises people to not provide any personal or financial information.
Stay vigilant, says fire chief:
“We are concerned that residents may fall victim to these deceptive calls,” says Fire Chief Wayne Kennedy.
“We urge everyone to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities and thank the residents who alerted us to this issue,” says Chief Kennedy.
Report calls to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre:
If you receive a fraudulent call, please report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca. You can also contact the Sooke RCMP at 250-642-5241.
===== LINK: SCAM ALERT: Fraudulent Calls Requesting Donations to “the Fire Department” (District of Sooke)