News release
Fraud awareness campaign highlights how to spot common scams
July 9, 2025
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Richmond, British Columbia
From: Richmond RCMP
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Richmond RCMP has launched a new fraud awareness campaign to educate the public about investment scams, a growing threat that costs residents millions of dollars annually.
At the center of the campaign is a newly released video that educates the public on how scammers operate and provides practical tips on how recognize their tactics to avoid falling victim. The video pulls from real examples, using engaging visuals and commentary from an officer on how to spot red flags.
Transcript
Video description:
A video sharing tips on what to look for to avoid investment scams.
[We open on a grey backdrop with a title reading “Investment Scams”. An officer to the left of the title speaks]
Constable Cameron: “Scammers have tricks to short circuit your natural critical thinking. How do they do it?”
[We pan to the officer who is now in front of a desk with a desktop computer on top. Next to the computer, there is a wallet.]
“These scammers reach out through social media, dating apps, internet ads, websites or by phone, promising high returns.”
[With each example of how scammers reach out, the desktop computer shows an example of: a phone for social media, a heart for dating apps, an ad that says “make money fast!” for internet ads, a search bar with the word website typed in it for websites and a picture of a phone for phone scams. ]
[The computer screen glitches and a thief wearing a black ski mask appears. The thief reaches through the computer screen and grabs the wallet on the desk. The police officer catches the thief and slaps the thief's hand, causing the thief to drop the wallet. The screen glitches back to normal with a title that reads: “Scam avoided”]
“So, what should you look for?”
[The officer appears in front of a title reading: “Scam Trick #1]
“Here’s scam trick one. They claim you’ll make big money with little or no risk.”
[Titles slide in reading: “Big Money” and “NO Risk”]
“Scam trick two.”
[A title reading Scam Trick #2 appears.]
“They Claim to have “hot tips” or “insider information”.”
[Text reading: “Hot Tips” and “Insider Information” swipes in.]
“Finally, scam trick three”
[A title reading “Scam Trick #3” appears.]
“They use high-pressure tactics that force you to make a decision. They might even order you to make a decision.”
[A title reading “High-pressure tactics” and “Give orders” appears.]
“Don't let scammers fool you. Protect yourself by being wary of unsolicited investment offers by phone, the internet, social media or texts from strangers.”
[Phone, internet, social media, and text message icons appear.]
[A chime indicates the officer gets a message. They pull out their phone. A floating text message from an unknown number shows: "Come join our investment group chat!" A link is attached to the text.]
“Here’s one now.”
[A “X” appears over the text message.]
“Don't respond to texts or join online chats with someone you don't know, and never click on unknown links.”
[The phone rings. The officer answers the call. A phone call icon is shown on screen.]
Mysterious caller: “You need to invest in crypto! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make lots of money right now!”
[The officer hangs up.]
“There's the high pressure tactic.”
[The officer throws the phone away.]
“Never give personal information over the phone. Talking about cryptocurrency…”
[The background becomes a purple techy background.]
“Investing in cryptocurrency has become popular, but it's also a scammer's paradise. Crypto is inherently risky and can often be used by cyber-criminals to get your money. Investments in Crypto should never include direct transfers to unknown and individual accounts.”
[The scene changes and the officer is now speaking through a laptop. We pull away from the laptop to show the same officer who is now watching the laptop. The officer takes a sip of tea while sitting in a chair.]
“Don't rush into it. Take your time to research the investment agency. You can help protect your friends and family from fraud by educating them about investment scams.”
[RCMP/GRC copyright notice appears]
[Government of Canada wordmark with a waving Canadian flag appears.]
The video lists three common investment scam tactics:
- Scam Trick #1: They claim you’ll make big money with little or no risk.
- Scam Trick #2: They claim to have
hot tips
orinsider information
. - Scam Trick #3: They use high-pressure tactics designed to force you to make a quick decision.
These scams are calculated and often operate across international borders,says Corporal Michael Ber, Richmond RCMP Economic Crime Unit.Scammers present themselves as legitimate using convincing personas, and apply pressure tactics to compel victims to act quickly. While funds lost to scammers in this way can be difficult to recover, there are instances when it is possible. We urge victims to always report to police immediately.
Recent fraud trends in Richmond
Richmond RCMP Economic Crime Unit (ECU) has noted a troubling rise in fraud schemes both online and offline. Credit card theft remains prevalent, which is often linked to thefts from vehicles or mailboxes. Since April 2025, the ECU has been investigating 8 new reports in a series of in-person credit card scams involving suspects posing as bank employees who attend the victim’s residence to pick up a card they claim is compromised. (See previous news release dated January 22, 2025).
Protecting yourself against fraud
Learning how to recognize common scam tactics is the easiest way to prevent becoming a victim. Residents are encouraged to have regular discussions about fraud trends with their loved ones, and to share the investment scam video with friends and family. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to have regular discussions with children about how to identify scams on electronic devices.
If you have been a victim of a scam or fraud, contact your local police as soon as possible.
If you have received a suspicious text, email, or phone call but have not provided any personal information or lost any money, please contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or www.antifraudcentre.ca to file a report.
For a full list of common scams and how to report them, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.