Separate reports are being received of suspicious phone soliciting in addition to aggressive and high pressure type phone soliciting in the Southeast District and other parts of the province.
In one case, a Vernon resident was recently solicited by a female caller on the phone seeking donations via credit card for the “Cops for Kids” charity. The woman claimed to be having troubles with her computer and handed off the call to her male “boss” who was attempting to complete the transaction and advised the victim that the transaction would not appear on her credit card statement as “Cops for Kids”. It was at that point that the victim became suspicious and called police. The victim contacted her credit card security department and canceled her card immediately and no fraudulent transactions had taken place.
Most communities in the Southeast District are familiar with the Cops For Kids Charitable Foundation and the RCMP’s affiliation to it. The RCMP would like to remind the public that the RCMP and the Cops for Kids Charitable Foundation do not participate in any type of fundraising through “cold” phone calls. Information on how to donate to can be reviewed online at anytime throughout the year by visiting www.copsforkids.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/51960005969/
The Cops For Kids Charitable Foundation has advised the RCMP that they are fielding a high number of inquiries and complaints of aggressive and pressure tactic telemarketing but confirm that these calls are not coming from Cops for Kids, but in some cases from a telemarketing firm apparently acting on behalf of a program called “Cops for Kids Safety” that is stated to be affiliated with a police association unrelated to the RCMP.
The public should be advised that the RCMP does not engage in telephone solicitations of any kind to raise funds.
Police advise the public to be vigilant and to question those collecting funds for any cause. There are resources including the Better Business Bureau and the Canadian Radio-Telivision Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), that the public can utilize to verify legitimacy of any fund raising initiatives.