Canada Post workers at the Drumheller Post Office took swift action to stop a scammer from taking more funds from a senior member of the community.
Darin Sherk of the Drumheller Post office tells the Mail, that last week a senior came in and purchased a couple of express posts and was putting cash in the envelopes.
The next day the same person came in right when the post office opened in a state of panic wondering if they had sent the express post off and if there was any way to stop them.
“I asked if he was being scammed and he said he was,” recalled Sherk.
The senior told Sherk, an individual telling him he had won a prize from Publishers Clearing House was scamming him. He had sent one envelope with $900, and a second with $3,400. Then Sherk got on the phone and with the help of Canada Post’s Calgary sort location, they were able to stop the $900 parcel and were also able to put a block on the second, which had already been sent on. As of Friday, it has not been stopped, but the block should end its delivery.
“The sad thing is, although he didn’t get into great detail, since April of last year, this couple has been defrauded of $14,000 by people saying they are Publishers Clearing House,” said Sherk.
He said the senior figured it out when the scammer called saying the tracking number was invalid, and he had to send another.
Sherk says even with all of the awareness campaigns, they still regularly see people come in, and they are able to recognize it is a scam.
“This is about the fourth one we have stopped this year,” said Sherk. “It breaks my heart for this elderly couple because that was probably a lot of their savings.”
Sherk wants to let the community know there are still many types of fraud, and while they were lucky to intercept this particular one, residents need to be aware. There are many resources for people who have been scammed or believe they are being scammed. Go to www.aintifraudcentre.ca
