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As residents continue to flee hundreds of wildfires in the Northwest Territories, police are warning of another threat: scammers.
The Northwest Territories RCMP said in a news release Sunday that they’ve become aware of a text message scam purporting to connect wildfire evacuees to relief funds.
“RCMP have received concerns about messages that purport to be from the Canada Revenue Agency and reference a ‘Canada Relief Fund’. These messages are not from a legitimate source and residents are encouraged not to click on the link or provide any personal information in response to these messages,” the release stated.
The scam attempt comes amid weeks of wildfires, which have forced tens of thousands from their homes.
As of last Monday, 68 per cent of the total population of the Northwest Territories had been evacuated from their homes due to wildfires. The capital city of Yellowknife, which is home to around 20,000 people, was issued an evacuation order on August 16, which still hasn’t been lifted.
The release included a photo of a sample text that the scammer might send.
“CRA MSG: The emergency response benefit of Canada Relief Fund has sent you a payment of $435.50 (CAD),” the sample text reads, followed by a clickable link.
The RCMP added that clicking on links in text messages from unknown sources could result in malicious software being downloaded onto your phone, or lead you to websites designed to trick you into revealing your personal information.
“Residents are reminded that all benefits that relate to wildfire evacuation relief or support, require you to apply for them,” the release stated. “If you have not applied for financial support from a specific agency but then receive unsolicited correspondence, it is likely a scam.”
There are currently 240 active fires burning across the territory, one of which only began in the last 24 hours, according to a Sunday update by officials.
More than 2.9 million hectares have been affected by wildfires thus far, and several regions are under heat warnings caused by nearby fires.
The release included a link to the territory’s website, where information can be found on financial support for evacuees. Those affected by the wildfires can apply for relief programs including the Evacuee Income Disruption Support Program, which provides a one-time payment of $750 to those whose employment has been disrupted by an evacuation order lasting more than a week, and the Evacuation Travel Support Program, which provides financial aid to those who evacuated their home by vehicle, among other programs.
Scammers seeking to take advantage of crises is not an unusual phenomenon. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, scammers were quick to send out texts claiming to be confirmations of benefit money being deposited, hoping to trick Canadians into clicking on a link that would prompt them to provide their banking information.
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