Community Column by Don Butt (April 2017)

Town of Mono, ON (Don Butt) This month the subject is a very timely one, the proliferating use of fraud. It is on the internet, telephone service, and even at your door. The crooks that run these scams are very devious so you must be vigilant to not be caught by them. Friends of mine that have been caught has cost them a considerable amount of money. Most of the ones on the internet are geared to getting your info such as address, bank, passwords and any other info that will help them to get into your bank account, etc. If you receive an offer that seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is. On incoming e-mails, if you do not recognize the sender , do not open the e-mail.

Do not give personal information, banking, Passwords, codes etc. to anyone unless you know and trust them. An e-mail that says you have won a contest can not be right. You cannot win a contest if you didn’t enter it. Never send money to anyone you don’t know and trust. Pyramid schemes are illegal so avoid them. Requests to transfer money are on the rise so avoid these – they will cost you money.

Don’t reply to spam e-mails, don’t click on any links or call any number listed on them. It will cost you money. Do not call any number beginning with 1-900 unless you know the cost involved. People asking for money – any doubts at all, refuse. Search the Canada Revenue Database to check if the charity is genuine .There is no shortcut to wealth-the only people that make money are the scammers.

Service people at the door (check your water heater). Only your service provider can offer you a better deal. If a caller claims to represent a bank, check with the bank to see if the offer is genuine .You can call your local police about scams or Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or the Competition Bureau’s Information Centre at 1-800-348- 5358

People at the door who say they want to check your hot water heater (and you know no one has called from your supplier). Do not let them in! They are very pushy and I know of one instance where they jammed their foot in the door. Notify Police of this kind of action.

If you get an e-mail saying you have won a million dollars ,it’s not true (unfortunately.) Just another scam. A phone call telling you something is wrong with your computer, hang up, it’s another scam. I have received this call several times and being sick of it , I said “yes, and I work with the OPP ” (which is true ) and there was a very loud hang up at the other end!

Safety Tip Do everything possible to avoid stopping on the shoulder of a freeway. (this tip comes to you courtesy of Doug Annett and the Skid Control School at Oakville, Ont.)

Phone Nos. (a list of valuable numbers to have)
For all emergencies – 911
To report non-emergency incidents or bad drivers 1-800-310-1122
Or by cell phone only *677

Road Watch
To report unsafe driving behaviour contact OPP Communications Centre:
*OPP (*677) on your Cell or
1-888-310-1122 on your Landline.

If you prefer a paper form, our forms are available at Mono Plaza and OPP at Primrose. Please use them, the life you may save could be your own or a loved one.

Don Butt is currently the Public Relations and Media Contact for the Mono Community Policing Committee. If you would like more information on anything covered in Don’s Column or would like to see a topic of public interest or safety covered; contact him here.