Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) and Victim Services Durham Region (VSDR) have launched a new fraud awareness initiative to help reduce victimization.
In advance of Crime Prevention Week beginning November 6, this initiative will engage communities and empower citizens, with the ultimate goal of reducing crime and preventing victimization, especially among the most vulnerable.
With support from the Government of Ontario, DRPS Detective Constable Shawn Finley of the Financial Crimes Unit and Krista MacNeil, Executive Director of VSDR, have obtained grant funding for this program, which has resulted in the creation of 30,000 fraud awareness magnets. These magnets will be distributed to the most vulnerable and at-risk populations in Durham Region, said a police statement.
Officers and volunteers from Victim Services and Durham Deaf Services will be attending numerous communities that have been identified as having at risk populations, and through information sessions, they will be educating citizens and distributing the magnets. The hope is that by empowering citizens with the information they need about fraudulent scams, we can prevent people from becoming victims of fraud.
Free 211 service
The magnet that is being distributed, is a highly visible reminder of what to do if someone receives a suspicious call. It contains information about the “211” service, which is a free service that connects people with a trained call taker, who can assist them with determining if the call is legitimate or a fraud. Awareness of the “211” service was initially brought to Durham Region by Detective Constable Laura Middleton of the DRPS Financial Crimes Unit in 2021.
DRPS would like to encourage anyone who has a loved one, or knows someone that they believe could be at an increased risk of becoming a victim of fraud, to attend any of the DRPS stations and pick up a free fraud awareness magnet. Additionally, the public can go to the fraud prevention page on DRPS.ca and get more information. If you or someone you know has been the victim of fraud you can also contact Victim Services for support www.victimservicesdurham.ca
For further information about this Fraud Awareness Initiative contact Detective Constable Shawn Finley #3350 of the DRPS Financial Crimes Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5358 or Krista MacNeil of Victim Services Durham Region at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 3400.
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