JASON SETNYK
A strong turnout of seniors filled the Seaway Senior Citizen Centre during Fraud Prevention Month, as community partners delivered timely information on how to recognize and avoid scams.
The session, led by the Cornwall Police Service and Victim Services of Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry & Akwesasne, focused on common fraud tactics ranging from phone and email scams to in-person schemes. Representatives also provided guidance on reporting incidents to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Karen Douglass Cooper, who works in administration and projects at the Seaway Senior Citizen Centre, said the annual session continues to draw strong interest.
“We try to do it about once a year… because everyone, if you talk to anyone, you’ll hear a story about someone they know that has gotten caught,” she said, noting the growing sophistication of scams.
Cooper emphasized that fraud can happen quickly and close to home. “I recently heard of someone who, within half an hour, lost $5,000. It wasn’t anything they did wrong,” she said. “It happens right here. It’s not just in big cities.”
She added that seniors are particularly vulnerable, especially those living on fixed incomes. “It’s critical… not all of them have a lot of means, and it’s tragic when things like that happen.”
A key takeaway from the session was the importance of slowing down before responding to suspicious calls or messages. “Any quick decision isn’t necessarily a good one,” Cooper said. “Even if it feels okay, just stop and think about it.”
She also shared her own experience with a scam call impersonating her bank. “Just as I was about to respond, I thought, no-they wouldn’t be doing this. So I went to the bank, and they said it happens all the time.”
In addition to presentations from police and victim services, Michael Galvin of Computer Sense spoke about online safety, including password security and recognizing phishing attempts.
Organizers said the strong turnout highlights the importance of continued education. “You have to be really careful,” Cooper said. “It’s sad, but you have to be savvy.”
A separate Fraud and Internet Safety session was also held on March 26 at the Benson Centre in partnership with Cogeco.
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