Just cut it out: Manitoba Premier says scams targeting wildfire evacuees will be investigated

Even during a time of crisis, it seems scam artists never take a break. Some wildfire evacuees in Manitoba are being targeted by fraudsters pretending to be the Canadian Red Cross. Text messages and phone calls promising financial aid are going out to unsuspecting Manitobans displaced by wildfires in desperate need of help. Scammers look to take advantage of vulnerable evacuees. Photo, Facebook Falling for the trick may be costly, as scammers demand banking information, social insurance numbers, or even an initial payment. The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) says those requests are red flags. In a statement to APTN News, they confirmed “individuals eligible for financial assistance will not need to provide their social insurance number, bank account information or credit card number during their registration or to receive assistance. In addition, the red cross will not ask for any form of payment in order to receive assistance.” While addressing the media Thursday, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said they will investigate the scam and other unruly behavior targeting evacuees. “Everybody is trying to prey on evacuees whether somebody is trying to do some sort of scam or if you’re just like some bunk little drug dealer, like, get out of here,” says Kinew, He says his government will hold offenders accountable. “This is garbage behaviour. It’s not what anybody should be thinking of. You can’t hold your head up high in the community if you do that,” he asserts. More than 20 thousand wildfire evacuees are registered with the Red Cross in Manitoba. The humanitarian organization is in charge of dispensing daily stipends to most evacuees on behalf of the province. Advocacy organization Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) is tasked with dispensing stipends to residents of evacuated First Nations on behalf of the federal government through Indigenous Services Canada. The money is supposed to help people pay their bills and make ends meet during a time when many can’t work. The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) sent out a release earlier this week alerting that email scams disguised as CRC communications are also being sent to individuals. The MMF told APTN News that they are not aware of any MMF citizens being affected. The Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak has also told APTN News they “have not yet heard of anyone directly impacted by fraud.” Scammers look to take advantage of vulnerable evacuees. Photo: Natalie Ladyka, Facebook Though Manitobans have taken to social media to show off the fraudulent messages, so far Manitoba RCMP have received no reports from people affected. They remind people that “if you feel uncomfortable or suspicious, hang up, delete the email, or simply ignore the request. Don’t feel pressured to make any decisions and never send money.” RCMP did arrest a man in Portage la Prairie on June 10 for impersonating a CRC employee. They said in a statement to APTN that the individual “was attempting to pose as a Red Cross worker in order to gain access to the hotel” where evacuees were staying, adding that “[n]o efforts were made by him to scam any evacuees however he was arrested under the Mental Health Act.” Manitoba isn’t the only region impacted by scams. Earlier this week, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe gave his opinion on scams targeting wildfire evacuees in his province. “Taking advantage of people in what is an extremely vulnerable situation, where they and their family have been displaced from their home, often had to travel half way across the province, hours and hours in the dead of night,” emphasized Moe, “For someone to take advantage of a family in that situation – hell hath no place hot enough for them.” The CRC encourages people to contact local authorities if you suspect someone is trying to scam you. Manitoba Emergency Management Organization Assistant Deputy Minister Christine Stevens says “don’t provide your information to third parties or anything unvalidated “ and to verify communications by visiting official websites like mbready.manitoba.ca or www.redcross.ca. Continue Reading