ARTICLES

March is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada. Throughout the month the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) Community Support Unit is sharing tips on how to recognize, reject and report common frauds and scams.

This week’s focus is on business and service scams, which account for many of the face-to-face frauds reported to the MHPS. Service scams can include home renovation scams by unlicensed contractors, as well as door-to-door fundraising scams which will often target seniors.

Before engaging a potential contractor, it is very important to ask questions ahead of time and request the names of past clients as references to confirm the quality of their work. Professional contractors will have no issues with providing you with this information and photos of their previous work. Always be wary of contractors who request payment in full prior to beginning any work.

Be extremely cautious when hiring someone from an online resource. Often, these “businesses” will operate on a buyer beware policy and will offer no reimbursement if the deal falls through. Never pay upfront in full for services to be completed. Once you have paid, it may become a civil issue for you to have your work completed. While online communities can be an excellent place to locate a potential service provider, always meet with the contractor in person and go through the proper steps to verify their credentials before hiring them to complete the work.

If someone comes to your door, claiming to represent a company or community organization, always ask to see an identification badge or supporting documentation before donating funds. If they are unable to produce ID, there is a good chance that it is a scam. Even if they have an ID badge, but something still does not feel right, do not allow yourself to be pressured into donating money and contact the MHPS at 403-529-8481 to report the suspicious behavior.

To learn more about common frauds and scams visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website at www.antifraudcentre.ca.

A prolific break and enter suspect is facing charges following a string of break-ins in southeast Alberta.

ALERT Medicine Hat’s regional property crime unit began investigating the break-ins in November 2022 after receiving numerous reports from local businesses.

Several fast food restaurants were targeted in and around the city, as well as a strip mall.

“A number of businesses were hit in a short amount of time and our team worked quickly with everyone involved. We appreciate the community’s patience as we continue the investigation,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Thorburn, ALERT Medicine Hat.

On March 8, 2023, police executed on a search warrant on a home in the Crescent Heights neighborhood in Medicine Hat. Kris Simons, 35-years old of Medicine Hat, was arrested and charged with the following:

• Break and enter (business) x9;
• Breach of release order; and
• Theft under $5,000.

Simons remains in custody.

The Medicine Hat Police Service and Redcliff RCMP assisted throughout the investigation.

Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.

Police have left the scene of the fire in the area of 1 Ave and 9 St SW. The origin and cause is now under investigation by the Medicine Hat Fire Service - Fire Investigation Unit. 

Please abide by any barricades or "Fire Scene" barricade tape that may be on scene. 

Any media inquiries are directed to the Medicine Hat Fire Service.

The Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) will be conducting over dimensional (OD) load escorts within the city on the following dates:

March 8, 2023, at 1:00 pm, an OD load escort will be taking place starting at the Redcliff west town limits Hwy #1 to Bromley Mechanical (925 23 St SW). This OD load escort will affect traffic flow on Hwy #1 due to counterflowing of the load and in the SW industrial area of the city. Please obey all directions from the Police and pilot vehicles during the load movement.

March 9, 2023, at 11:00 am, an OD load escort will be taking place starting at Bromley Mechanical (925 23 St SW) to Hwy #1 at the Redcliff west town limits. This OD load escort will affect traffic flow in the SW industrial area of the city as well as both west and east bound Hwy #1 due to counterflowing of the load.

For everyone's safety please follow all directions from police and pilot vehicles during the load movement. Thank you!

The run away youth reported earlier this morning has been located and is safe. Thank you to the public for your assitance!

March 2023 marks the 19th anniversary of Fraud Prevention Month in Canada, a month-long crime prevention initiative aimed at educating and informing consumers and the community on how to recognize, report, and stop fraud.

The theme of this week is a focus identify theft and fraud, which is unfortunately is common way individuals are scammed. Scammers will use a variety of technique to gain your information. Once they have your valuable personal details, they will use it to their financial advantage.

One common method is phishing techniques, either by phone or email, where they pretend to be legitimate businesses, government officials, your relatives, or even the police, and will try to collect personal information such as credit card, driver’s licenses, social insurance, passport numbers.

Once they obtain that personal information, they may try to use it to open bank accounts or take out loans/credit cards in your name. At times, scammers may even steal mail belonging to other people in order to collect personal information. Although this isn’t as typical now, it can still happen.

If your personal data is compromised, please notify your local police service and contact agencies such as Equifax and Transunion to flag your personal information.

There are several ways to protect yourself from falling victim to these scams:

• Never respond to unsolicited requests from a company by phone or email requesting personal information.

• If you receive a notification that you have won a prize from a contest that you have never participated in, you didn’t win. Do not respond.

• If you receive a request from a company you are currently involved with, whether you work for them or are a client and they are requesting money or personal information, contact your local branch of that institution directly to ensure it is legitimate.

• If you receive unsolicited mail, either via email or regular mail, do your research on the company before conducting business with them. The Better Business Bureau is a great resource to confirm if they are a legitimate business with a positive reputation.

The best rule of thumb to protect yourself is to always be skeptical. Educate yourself on ways to protect your money and seek advice if you are concerned that something might be a scam. The police can always be contacted for advice in regards to potential frauds. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website (www.antifraudcentre.ca) is a great resource and contains information about many different fraud types.

Media Contact:

Sgt Adam Gregory
Medicine Hat Police Service
Community Support Unit
Ph: 403-529-8451

On March 8, 2022, International Women’s Day, the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) pledged to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of individuals in the community (Medicine Hat & surrounding area) who lead, inspire, and motivate women and work to break the bias towards advancing gender equity. Each month the MHPS, in partnership with the Medicine Hat Police Association, selects a local individual(s) to highlight with the “Be The Change” award, and celebrate the achievements of these individuals who are catalysts for change in our community.

This month, a dedicated group of Medicine Hat Businesswomen, Women In Business Committee have been chosen as the recipient of the MHPS “Be the Change Award.” The Women In Business committee has a long history in our community of bringing women in business together so that they can network, grow and empower others.

The Medicine Hat Women In Business Committee is a non-profit society that was formed in 2001 when five forward thinking female professionals recognized a need for business training, workshops and speakers that connected women in the community. The founders specifically sought out opportunities for female business professionals to network. While the membership has evolved over time, the goals of the committee have remained the same, with a focus on connecting diverse groups of women and building relationships.

Today, Cori Stodolka chairs the committee and is supported by a dedicated group of 12 volunteers from various backgrounds in businesses and organizations. The diversity of the committee attests to their commitment to continual growth and improvement of women in business in Medicine Hat. Current members represent the construction, health care, fitness, automotive, marketing, photography, and design industries to name a few. There are also entrepreneurs who provide support and encouragement to others wanting to chase their dreams in business.

Over the past 22 years the Women in Business committee has hosted numerous events, seminars, and networking opportunities for women in our community. Today the committee hosts three to four annual events including a Wine and Cheese, the Women In Business Expo, Empowerment Day, and the Inspire Luncheon. Each event offers a unique opportunity to empower, inspire and connect attendees.

Women In Business Committee, thank you for paving the way for businesswomen in our community and creating a space for women to grow, be inspired and connect with others on the same journey. We acknowledge and thank the committee for their long-standing commitment to being the change in our community.

Media Contact:

Rita Sittler

Administrative Services Manager

Medicine Hat Police Service

Ph: 403-529-8416

The Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) wants you to become a member of our team! We have an exciting opportunity for you to join a dedicated group of police professionals, serving and protecting our community with pride. As a member of the MHPS you will be part of a progressive, thriving organization, and in Medicine Hat you will find an exceptionally high quality of life with a comparatively low cost of living.

The MHPS is currently seeking applicants for the position of police constable. Applicants selected from this process will be sworn in as police cadets and commence 20 weeks of police recruit training at the MHPS starting in early 2024.

The Police Officer Cadet Training Program is accredited by Lethbridge College (LC) and follows standards set forth by the Alberta Justice & Solicitor General’s office. Upon successful completion of the training, LC will award graduates of the training with a Credential of Academic Achievement in Police Recruit Training, documented by an official parchment and transcript. Additionally, some cadets will be selected for immediate employment as a police constable with the MHPS, while the remaining cadets will be shortlisted for consideration, should additional vacancies arise over the following year.

If you are ready for an exciting and rewarding career in law enforcement, in one of the most beautiful cities in Canada visit mhps.ca for more information about the MHPS and this exciting opportunity.

If you want to learn more, members of the MHPS Recruitment Team will be hosting an information session on March 15, 2023, at 7 PM in the MHPS Community Boardroom. Members of the Recruitment Team will be available to answer questions related to the required qualifications and standards as well as the application process. Additionally, a virtual information session will be held on March 20, 2023, at 7 PM. Email Recruiting@mhps.ca to register for either session.

Application deadline is June 1, 2023.

Media Contact:

Rita Sittler
Administrative Services Manager
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8416

March 2023 marks the 19th anniversary of Fraud Prevention Month in Canada, a month-long crime prevention initiative aimed at educating and informing consumers and the community on how to recognize, report, and stop fraud.

Each year, thousands of Canadians of all ages and from all walks of life are defrauded, costing Canadians hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Medicine Hat citizens are part of these statistics.

According to recent data released by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, over $530 million in losses were reported in 2022, and that it is estimated that only 5% to 10% of victims of fraud report to the CAFC. The Medicine Hat Police Service responded to 470 calls for service related to frauds last year.

Consumers have a role to play in stopping fraud by arming themselves with the facts and reporting fraud when they encounter it. Recognizing fraud is the first step to better protecting yourself. It is important for consumers to remain vigilant and aware of the many different types of fraud scams out there as they are ever changing, and new trends are always emerging.

Throughout the month, the Medicine Hat Police Service Community Support Unit will be sharing information on how to recognize and stop from falling victim to common frauds and scams. This week will focus on online scams and fraud, which are among the most frequently reported.

Scammers will sometimes take advantage of online marketplaces to sell items they don’t possess. Typically, they will request a down payment or full payment up front and then the item is never provided to the purchaser. In some cases, scammers will present people with employment or investment opportunities that are very appealing but require a fee first before reaping the rewards. This fee may be requested in the form of an e-transfer, code from a gift card or another online currency.

With the emergence of crypto currencies, fraudsters have been given another tool to attempt to commit fraud with. Crypto currencies are a type of currency without government or bank control. This has made it increasingly difficult for people to contact someone directly to confirm that a transaction is legitimate.

In general, most companies will not request payment for goods or services in the form of gift card codes, or deposits into crypto currencies. As many of the scammers are not located in Canada, once the money is transferred it is extremely difficult to investigate and hold anyone accountable.

Other traditional scams will use mass marketing or phishing scams and lure victims through investment opportunities in crypto currency. The fraudsters will either have victims purchase crypto currency and send it as an investment or send the fraudster real money for them to purchase crypto currency. Either way once the fraudster receives the funds the victim will never see a return.

Remember, if an investment opportunity comes out of the blue and appears to be too good to be true, it likely is. Always be vigilant, ensure you trust the person or company that you are investing your money with, and research the crypto currency yourself to understand how it works and before getting involved with it.

If you are ever concerned that something is not legitimate, do not engage and always remember that government agencies such as the Canada Revenue Agency, Canada Border Service Agency will never ask for gift cards or bitcoin as a form of payment.

For more information on common frauds and scams visit the Canada Anti-Fraud Centre website 

Media Contact:

Sgt Adam Gregory
Community Support Unit
Medicine Hat Police Service
Ph: 403-529-8451

Traffic Advisory:

The Traffic Unit will be assisting with an Over Dimensional Load escort today March 2, 2023 at 9:00 am.

The OD Load will be coming from Bromley Mechanical (925 25 St. SW) to Highway #1 (Redcliff) west town limits. The southwest industrial area and both the highway #1 west and east bound lanes will be impacted by the movement of the equipment.

Please try to avoid this area if possible, if not able to avoid the area please obey all police officer and pilot vehicle directions.

Thank you!