The case of the swindled senior

by Tatiana Chabeaux-Smith.

Twenty-two year old Tanya loved her mother Bessie enormously. Theirs was a close relationship however in recent months, Tanya sensed that something was troubling Bessie. She was uncharacteristically withdrawn, secretive, and appeared depressed. Her mother also appeared to be getting a lot of mail, most of it strewn about the house. Tanya remembered how only a few months earlier Bessie appeared elated and happy and had remarked that “her ship was about to come in”.

The phone call from Bessie’s bank manager came out of the blue and shook Tanya to her core. Bessie had withdrawn almost all of her savings in a very short period of time and the manager was concerned.

What would you do?

In this case, Tanya began her investigation by privately sitting down with her mother and discussing her concerns. Refraining from being confrontational or judgmental, she eventually learned the truth. Her mother was convinced that she had won five million dollars in a lottery and had been sending thousands of dollars to “collect” her considerable winnings. Of course, the lottery was a scam and her mother was out $50,000.00.

Each year, Consumer Protection BC and the police deal with seniors and the young-at-heart who have been bilked out of their life savings by fast talking con artists and flashy mail-outs.

In a typical lottery scam, the victim receives official-looking correspondence in the mail that tells them they have won millions in a lottery. In order to collect their winnings, they need to send money to cover the taxes and administrative fees. Those who do send money are placed on “sucker lists” and receive further mail and phone calls telling them to send more money. To keep the victims quiet while the scam is in progress, the fraudsters tell them not to discuss their “good fortune” with anyone until the official announcement. Before long, the victims are drained dry of their money and in most instances, the money is never recovered.

Tip: Remember, if it seems to be too good to be true, it is. Legitimate winners of lotteries never have to send money to claim their winnings.

March is Fraud Prevention Month – know your rights! If you have questions about your rights and responsibilities as a consumer in British Columbia, please contact us toll free at 1-888-564-9963 or info@consumerprotectionbc.ca. Find out more information about deceptive mailouts and lottery scams. The “What Would You Do?” columns are presented by Consumer Protection BC (http://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca) to raise consumer awareness during Fraud Prevention Month.

Take the Competition Bureau’s Fraud Quiz.