Fraud suspect sought in Mission

On the afternoon of June 13, a man in the parking lot of a mall in Mission was approached by another man asking for help. He said that he was from Dubai, had lost his wallet and all of his bank cards, and needed money to get back to Toronto, so he could fly home from there. He offered his gold jewelry to the victim, and asked for cash or gift cards. The victim provided a combination of cash and gift cards to the man, who was also with his wife and four young children. The victim later learned that the jewelry was fake, and lost over $2,000 as a result of the scam.

Mission RCMP are asking anyone who recognizes the photo of the suspect, or who has had a similar encounter, to contact them at 604-826-7161. This is also a good opportunity to remind friends and family of these types of scams. Any situation where someone asks for payment in gift cards should be seen as a red flag. Retailers are also encouraged to be alert to the possibility that any customers looking to purchase a large quantity of gift cards may be in the process of being defrauded. Anyone unsure as to whether they are being targeted by a scammer can contact their local police, who can help them determine what steps to take to stay safe.