The Swan River RCMP have been made aware of a scam happening in the community and surrounding areas.
The calls appear to come from a 'Credit Union' advising people that there is fraudulent activity detected on their accounts.
Melanie Roussel is a corporal with the Manitoba RCMP.
"So the fraudsters ask questions which then gives them enough information to take over the online banking account of that person," said Roussel. "The scammer then withdraws money from that account."
If you receive a call from a scammer offering help, it may be too good to be true. Oftentimes, if it seems too good to be true, it is.
"Be wary of strangers contacting you asking for money," added Roussel. "Protect your personal information. Verify, verify, verify. Ask pointed questions to confirm identity. If need be, call the person or company back. Tell them, okay, thank you, I'll call you back. At that point, go to your local Credit Union and ask questions."
In 2024, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Manitobans reported losing about $31 million to scams. That amount is expected to be much higher. The RCMP estimates only five to 10 percent of victims report incidents.
Other scams known by the RCMP include being offered lottery winnings from a stranger in exchange for hundreds of dollars for processing fees. If you believe you're the victim of a scam, report it to your local RCMP.
In 2025, the Anti-Fraud Centre reported that Canadians lost $704 million in scams. As of March 31, Canadians had already lost $188 million. There have been more than 5,000 victims of fraud in Canada this year.
You can report fraud here.
