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Chilliwack grandma loses all her Christmas money in crypto scam

含羞草研究社業f telling this story helps one person, then I haven含羞草研究社檛 lost everything,含羞草研究社 says Chilliwack woman
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Carol Anderson after a free hair styling she was generously offered after someone stole her Christmas money. She含羞草研究社檚 hoping her tale of woe helps one person avoid becoming a fraud victim. (Carol Anderson/Facebook)

A local grandma is warning others about a type of cryptocurrency scam after she had all her Christmas money stolen.

含羞草研究社滻含羞草研究社檇 like to prevent this happening to anyone else,含羞草研究社 said Carol Anderson of Chilliwack. 含羞草研究社淚t was devastating.含羞草研究社

She felt 含羞草研究社渞eally dumb含羞草研究社 after realizing she含羞草研究社榙 fallen victim to fraudulent financial transactions.

含羞草研究社淎pparently this is happening a lot,含羞草研究社 Anderson said.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has reported several types of cryptocurrency scams, like the one where scammers impersonate staff of crypto companies to get access to financial details.

A police report was made in early December but was Anderson was told it was unlikely she would get her money back.

Anderson含羞草研究社檚 bank refused her first claim, but she has high hopes of getting an appeal.

The local woman was still grieving from losing her husband in February 2022 when she made the first transaction as an investment with the idea of getting some Christmas money to buy presents for the grandchildren and great grandchildren.

含羞草研究社淚 decided to invest some money into crypto,含羞草研究社 she explained.

Anderson made an initial $250 online transaction to set up an account.

含羞草研究社淭hey were walking me through how to do it online,含羞草研究社 she said. They instructed her 含羞草研究社渂y remote含羞草研究社 how to set up an account and said a call would be forthcoming to help her set up a digital 含羞草研究社渨allet含羞草研究社 to withdraw.

The trouble started when she wanted to take out her money.

Then she received a call from someone in Montreal, but they later denied anyone from that company had spoken to her on the day in question.

含羞草研究社淗e was instructing me how to do something. But I couldn含羞草研究社檛 get it.含羞草研究社

The person asked if they could do a remote online instead of talking on the phone. They already seemed to have all her information so she thought it would be safe.

含羞草研究社淣ot thinking I just went to my bank account,含羞草研究社 she said.

She was told they would be depositing her money, but that didn含羞草研究社檛 happen.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 when he took it.含羞草研究社

Her account was completely cleared out of the $1,500 she had reserved for the holidays.

Somehow her modem failed, and the person was suddenly gone. The company now claims she made the investment herself.

Cryptocurrency scams and fraud typically involved the attempt to steal cash, personal and financial information from a target, according to the .

含羞草研究社淔raudsters will offer you cryptocurrency buy-ins promising a high rate of return and in a short amount of time. Instead, the victim will lose their investment and sometimes their personal and financial information.

含羞草研究社淕et your cryptocurrency from well-known and reputable exchanges. Purchase any hardware wallets directly from the manufacturer.

B.C. RCMP put out a warning in May 2022 after it appeared Lower Mainland seniors were being particularly targeted for this type of fraud.

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Since it happened, several people have generously helped her out. It was not a huge amount of funds stolen, but it was all she had.

In the wake of the fraud, a good friend rushed to buy her winter boots. Stylist Tracy Broskey styled and cut her hair. Another person who she didn含羞草研究社檛 even know gave her a $100 Marks gift card.

It made her feel much better. Now Anderson is wondering how many people ended up in the same boat as her.

含羞草研究社淚f telling this story helps one person, then I haven含羞草研究社檛 lost everything.含羞草研究社

RCMP advise that anyone targeted by a scammer to contact the non-emergency line of their detachment, as well as reporting the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or through the online .

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Do you have something to add to this story, or a news tip? Email:
jennifer.feinberg@theprogress.com



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Jennifer Feinberg

About the Author: Jennifer Feinberg

I have been a Chilliwack Progress reporter for 20+ years, covering city hall, Indigenous, business, and climate change stories.
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