MOOSE JAW — With the annual STARS Critical Care on the Air Radiothon taking place on April 7 and 8, the Moose Jaw Police Service is advising the public to be aware of the “STARS Lottery” phone scam, as it is once again circulating within Moose Jaw.
The STARS lottery scam occurs when the caller claims to represent STARS Air Ambulance and informs the victim that they have won a new vehicle or a cash prize, ranging from $30,000 to $350,000. The fraudster will attempt to manipulate people by falsely claiming they have won an extravagant prize and asking them to send payment to claim their prize.
To protect yourself, always keep these points in mind advises the Moose Jaw Police Service:
You will never be asked to send money to claim any lottery prize. If you are being asked to send a cheque, money order, or payment of any kind to claim your lottery prize, it is a scam. Hang up the phone or delete the email immediately. If you become suspicious, check with STARS directly to verify if you are a winner and if the lottery is legitimate.
In some instances, the fraudster has demanded payment via gift cards as a way to claim the prize. As a reminder, do not provide the scammer with the access codes for the gift cards under any circumstances.
The Moose Jaw Police Service would also like to remind the public not to provide personal information such as their Social Insurance Number (SIN), or banking details over the phone.
If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a scam, please get in touch with the Moose Jaw Police Service at 306-694-7600. If you prefer to remain anonymous, call the Moose Jaw Crime Stoppers with your information at 1-800-222-8477, go online at p3tips.com, or download the mobile app.
For more information on fraud attempts visit Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca)
