From phishing scams to identity theft, cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods, making it vital for Albertans to stay vigilant and informed. As more of our personal and financial information moves online, protecting yourself from these digital threats is critical. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of falling victim to cybercrime, as well as reporting it if you do.
    Drumheller RCMP encourages everyone to stay vigilant against these common cyber threats:
Be wary of unsolicited emails, text messages, or social media communications asking for personal or financial information. These may appear to be from legitimate sources but are often designed to steal your data.
Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown or unverified sources, as they may contain malware or viruses.
Scammers often create fake websites that look like official ones to trick users into entering sensitive information. Always verify the URL and ensure the website is secure (look for “https”).
Keep an eye on your online accounts for any strange activity, such as unexpected password changes or transactions you did not authorize.
Be cautious of job offers that seem too good to be true or require upfront fees. Scammers often use fake employment offers to collect personal information.
Be skeptical of high-return investment opportunities, especially those with little to no risk. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
 To keep yourself safe from cybercrime, the RCMP suggests the following precautions:
Create complex, unique passwords for each account, and avoid using easily guessable information like birthdates or names. Consider using a password manager to securely store your passwords.
Ensure that your operating system, antivirus software, and apps are regularly updated to protect against security vulnerabilities.
Regularly check your bank accounts, credit card statements, and online profiles for any suspicious activity.
Avoid accessing sensitive accounts (e.g., banking, email) over unsecured public Wi-Fi networks, as they may be vulnerable to hackers.
Regularly back up important files and data to a secure location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage, in case of a ransomware attack.
Stay informed about the latest cyber threats and scams. Awareness is one of the best defenses against cybercrime.

    If you suspect you’ve been a victim of cybercrime, report it to your local RCMP detachment or through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
    For more tips on how you can protect yourself from cyber crime, follow us on Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and on X @RCMPAlberta.

Kneehill County is working hard on its budget deliberations and is aiming to present a balanced budget.
Manager of Financial Planning, Marika von Mirbach, presented an overview of the budget at the Kneehill County regular meeting on November 26. The presentation was to address questions that have been raised as they proceed to have it completed for approval on December 10.
The operating budget is looking at a core shortfall of $1,075,120, as well as approximately $266,000 of proposed projects.
“If no other adjustments are made, a tax increase of four per cent would be needed to close the core operating budget shortfall,” explains von Mirbach, “and a tax increase of five per cent would be needed to cover the shortfall, plus the new initiatives.”
Ms. von Mirbach outlined some of the ways that they could make up the core shortfall. She noted they had seen an increase in operating revenues of $58,000, related to water distribution trends, and an increase in expenses of $220,000, $133,000 of which is related to water resale, for a net increase of expense of $154,000.
For a starting point to balance the budget for water, it was suggested a $0.20 increase to water distribution systems and a $0.30 per cube increase to bulk systems.
This would increase revenue by $56,600.
Another point to consider is raising the minimum tax rate. Currently, the minimum tax rate is $150 per parcel. Increasing this to $175 would add approximately $41,500 in revenue.
They also explored tax revenue. As a suggested starting point they looked at increasing residential tax revenue by 3.75 per cent, farmland by 3.75 per cent and non-residential by 2.75 per cent.
This, along with an increase in the minimum tax could raise incremental revenues to $822,148.
With these changes, as well as a draw of $466,272 from the Revenue Stabilization Reserve, the County would be in a balanced position.
With this, there would be a plan to contribute $500,000 back to the reserve from the 2024 surplus.
Discussion centred on adjusting tax rates, and the council approved a motion for administration to bring back the budget for approval reflecting these changes, except tax rates.
It proposed an increase of five per cent for farmland, four per cent for residential and 2.75 per cent for non-residential.