March marks Fraud Prevention Month and police in Lethbridge are shining the spotlight on different scams to watch out for.
Next month, the Lethbridge Police Service’s Economic Crimes Unit will hold three different educational community events.
Sergeant Kevin Talbot says the sessions will offer practical information on current scams to watch for, warning signs to be aware of, and steps to take when one becomes a victim or knows someone who has been victimized.
“Across the country, they are [fraud cases] increasing. Last year, we reached a total loss [of] around $645 million in Canada and we’re well on our way to that this year,” he says.
Talbot adds officers will dive into trends seen at the local level in Lethbridge, like ‘romance scams’, in which fraudsters use fake dating profiles to get a victim to send them money.
“We’ll get into the nuts and bolts of what a romance scam is, who it impacts and how you can protect yourself from happening to you,” Talbot remarks.
The sessions will take place on the following dates:
- March 5, 2026 from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. at the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization – Stage Area (500 11 Street S.)
- March 10, 2026 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the Nordbridge Senior Centre – West Community Room (1904 13 Avenue N.)
- March 25, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Cor Van Raay YMCA – Lower Galleria (140-74 Mauretania Road W.)
Talbot explains that cases are increasing across the country because the scams are “easy for criminals”, especially with the power of technology.
“They can sit at their desk and scam someone as opposed to [having in-person] interactions with somebody and put in the work. It’s extremely easy to commit one of these crimes and with technology, it keeps on making it easier,” he says.
Talbot notes that although seniors are often targeted, scams can impact all age groups.
“It depends on the crime, or the type of scam it is,” he states.
“For example, extortion scams – where someone has sent explicit images or videos to someone, that’s generally [targeting] younger people, but it ranges between ages and I’ve seen anywhere from someone in their 20s up into their 80s fall victim to a scam for investment fraud. It happens in every demographic.”
Talbot adds that each session next month is open to the public, and pre-registration is not required. Further fraud prevention resources are also available on the LPS website and through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
