March is Fraud Prevention Month – what are you doing to protect yourself and others?

Members of the Calgary Police Service (CPS) will be joined by their partners from the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association (ACCPA), the Alberta Motor Association (AMA), the Bank of Canada, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Southern Alberta and East Kootenay, Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as they launch Fraud Prevention Month, tomorrow, Thursday, February 27, 2014, at 2 p.m., at CPS Headquarters.

ACCPA is leading the charge against fraud in Alberta this year. The overriding theme for this year’s campaign is Change Your Password. This is something everyone can and should do, to help minimize the chances of becoming a victim of fraud.

That said, fraud is a huge problem in our communities and we all need to work together to help solve this problem.

The AMA is well-known for their spring shredding events and encourage citizens to review their personal documents monthly and shred anything they don’t need.

The BBB fights fraud by educating consumers about the warning signs of fraud and unethical business practices and the Bank of Canada has made huge inroads into reducing counterfeiting over the past few years with the introduction of Canada’s new polymer notes.

The ERA does its part by shredding disk drives, cell phones, USB sticks and other forms of electronic media, permanently and right before your eyes.

And… police agencies are working together locally, nationally and internationally to stop criminals from defrauding innocent citizens.

Fraud is all around us! Take time this March to educate and protect yourself from becoming a victim!