news // no. 4 Jessica Berget Assistant Editor ith March being Fraud Prevention Month and the rise in scam call reports during this pandemic, it’s important to know what kind of scams are circulating in your area. Near the beginning of the pandemic in August, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported that reports of scam calls were increasing. In fact, in the first half of 2020, there were more than 23,000 reports in connection with telephone calls asking for people’s money or SIN card number. Overall, there were 69,41 reports in the year 2020 and the Canadian Government website states that as of the end of February, there were 11,266 reports, 7,646 victims of these frauds, and more than $34.5 million lost in Canada from these scams (down from $107.5 million last year—but we're only three months into the year). Of the many scams that are circulating, some of the most common ones are phone calls, emails, or even text messages claiming to be from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or Service Canada. The scammer then tell potential victims that they either owe money to the government, that they are at risk of being deported or going to jail, or that they won a prize and need to send a gift card to receive said gift. One CTV News article from last month even mentions reports of a new scam posing to be from Amazon and that there is something wrong with your account such as a lost package, unfinished order, or a fraudulent charge. In these cases, consumers report that the callers credit card number, or remote access to their computers. Police remind people that government organizations like Service Canada or CRA will never call you asking for personal or financial information, ask you to send or pay crypto currency, leave threatening messages, use aggressive and insistent language, or threaten you with arrest—and especially never ask for remote access to your computer. These reports prompted a warning from the Better Business Bureau, who warns about the effects of these calls on businesses. “In December we tracked 28 calls, in January 93 calls, and this week alone 41 calls,” said Karla Laird, manager of community and public relation from BC’s Better Business Bureau in the previously mentioned CTV News article. “The con artists are also spoofing theotherpress.ca Photo by Arnaldo Fragozo help disguise their calls and lend them credibility. Some of these numbers have been connected back to Canadian small businesses and even BBB offices in the United States.” Consumers who receive these calls claiming to be from Amazon asking for personal information are advised to ignore them. But now, many fraudsters are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic and using that as ammo for their scams. On newly reported scam from this month asks callers for personal information to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. West Vancouver RCMP reminds people at this stage in the vaccination process no one should be calling anyone to book an appointment and to hang up immediately if you receive this call. then asked for their account information, other organizations’ phone numbers to What's going down at Dougie? » Virtual Health Week events, dog therapy, and more this March Jessica Berget Assistant Editor For the remainder of March, Douglas College will be hosting Virtual Health Week—a series of online events and workshops focused on mental health and well- being to aide students during the pandemic. The most anticipated event of the semester will also be coming up this week: therapy dogs! All students interested must register for these events on the college website. Mental Wellness at Douglas College March 16 at 2 pm and March 18 at 4:30 pm With so many reasons for stress for the average college student, Douglas College is hosting a session for students to get together and to focus on the importance of mental wellness. Participants will do a group activity to anonymously share their barriers and what helps their mental wellness, and those contributions will help to improve how the college supports students, according to the website. Eating Healthy as a College Student March 16 at 3:30 pm Join this event if you want to learn to cook healthy, quick, and delicious food! The Student Wellness Awareness Network will be giving tips on how to make quick and easy meals for any college student’s taste. Attendees will also have a chance to win a Walmart gift card for $25. Active Listening Workshop March 16 at 5 pm Active listening is a counselling technique that focuses on fully listening, concentrating, and responding toa speaker. They say it’s a vital part of communicating, and that’s why the college is hosting an event for students to learn non-verbal communication. Attendees also have a chance to win one of two $25 Amazon gift cards. Study Break Yoga and Mindful Breathing March 17 at 1 am Take a break from you busy life to breath and stretch as it’s good for your brain and your body! Douglas College's very own fitness class instructor Amanda will be teaching this online class. Virtual Dog Therapy March 17 at 3pm With classes still being held online, this year’s DSU dog therapy event will be held online. Though it may be sad not to see these dogs in person, the event encourages attendees to also bring their pets so you may see even more adorable pets this year. Volunteers from BC and Alberta Guide Dogs will be showing off their dogs along with some cute stories and tricks and educating attendees about what they do. Prizes for some attendees will also be included at the end. Communicating in a Virtual World March 18 at 1am Many students might struggle with communicating during this time of not being able to see anyone. To tend to that the college is hosting this one-hour workshop facilitated by Douglas College counsellors to provide ways on improving connection and relationships during this time. Event attendees could also win one of three Amazon gift cards for $25. Indigenous Wellness Workshop March 18 at pm Vancouver Cree actor Shayla Stonechild along with the DSU will be hosting this indigenous-centred wellness workshop. This event will focus on the medicine wheel and the four components of wellness: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Attendees will havea chance to win DSU themed prizes or virtual gift cards. Resiliency For Your Emotional Health March 18 at 3:30 pm Peer tutors from the college learning centre will be facilitating this interactive workshop to help students create ways to strengthen their emotional resilience. There's also a chance to win a $25 Walmart gift card to give you even more resiliency. Mental Health Toolkit March 19 at 10 am You probably have a toolkit in your house, but what about a mental toolkit? This event will highlight how to make your own personalized mental health and wellness toolkit to help students when they may be having a crisis, or just a bad day. Some attendees may even get to add a $25 gift card to WalMart to their toolkit if they're lucky. Creating a Campus Culture of Consent March 19 at noon Learn how you can actively use consent, how to become an active bystander, and learn about “cyber consent” in a virtual world. You can also potentially win an Amazon gift card! How to Have a Productive Day March 19 at 2 pm Douglas College Sports Science instructor Dustin Silvey will be highlighting the importance of exercising between study breaks in this informative workshop. The event will also give examples of healthy eating habits and snack preparation. Or—as you might've already guessed—you could give yourself another chance to win a Wal-Mart gift card.