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Canadians tell us they are tired of fraudulent calls. So why did the RCMP disband the fraudulent working group over the phone?

We are all sick and tired of picking up the phone and finding a phone scammer on the other end. For five years, Marketplace has been investigating the case, investigating fraudsters, fraudsters abroad and alleged coordinators in Canada who channel money abroad. In 2018, RCMP launched Project Octavia, a dedicated working group dedicated to ending fraudulent calls created in the wake of the Marketplace’s initial investigation into CRA tax fraud. But as the number of calls has increased, so has the millions of dollars that Canadians lose each year. To date, the task force has indicted nearly a dozen people in Canada accused of channeling money into criminal syndicates that carry out phone scams targeting Canadians. But before Marketplace learned that before any of these cases went to trial, the Mounties disbanded their financial crime unit in Ontario and are no longer investigating these alleged money mules through Project Octavia. Experts in financial crime are concerned that this will only encourage fraudsters. “In an industry like the one that operates with impunity, you are sending a message that Canada is not interested in this kind of crime,” said Vanessa Iafolla, a financial crime researcher at Saint Mary University in Halifax. read more Watch the finale of the one-hour Marketplace season for much more on this story, including how good hackers crack down on fraudsters over the phone and save vulnerable Canadians from falling victim to their plans in the process. Check out CBC Gem at any time. Marketplace was informed by dozens of Canadians who say they continue to receive fraudulent calls, including a woman who lost nearly $ 200,000 and another whose father lost $ 69,000. (CBC)

The couple tried to send his son $ 10,000. Instead, he entered into a foreigner’s account

It is advertised as a safe and secure way to send money, but an Ontario couple say the $ 10,000 bank transfer they sent to their adult son was deposited in a foreigner’s account and then disappeared. Barbara and Robert Behan wanted to help their son and his young family finish the basement of their house, so they sent the cash as a Christmas present. The remittance was sent from the couple’s TD Bank account in Penetanguishene, Ont., On December 21, to a CIBC branch in Calgary, where their son has been involved in banking for decades. But the money never appeared in his account. Weeks later, CIBC told the Behans that the money was gone – it was deposited in someone else’s account the day it was sent – and that the account holder had withdrawn $ 10,000 the next day and then closed the account. “It’s unthinkable. Obviously this person had the exact same account number as our son,” Barbara said. CIBC says customers can have the same account numbers. It is another set of numbers – the five-digit traffic numbers that identify a particular industry – that differentiates bills.
After two months of fighting between the banks, the CIBC ombudsman decided that CIBC was not to blame and offered the couple half of their money back as a gesture of goodwill. But after Go Public contacted the bank, the full amount was returned to the Behans. All of this could have been prevented if banks had a better system to ensure that bank transfers ended up in the right place, says banking expert Werner Antweiler. read more

Couple loses $ 10,000 bank transfer after depositing it in the wrong account | Go to Public

An Ontario couple say the $ 10,000 bank transfer was deposited in the wrong account and then disappeared. The case highlights a key problem with Canada’s banking system – the lack of built-in debugging. 2:10

Some researchers abandon their gas stoves. Here’s why

Do you have a gas stove in your home? Experts say it may be time to consider switching to an electric cooker if you have the means. Tara Kahan, a chemist at the University of Saskatchewan, says that when she took measurements of indoor pollution after cooking with a gas stove, she was amazed at how high the levels of nitrogen oxides were and how long they lasted. Her colleagues were also shocked. Exposure to nitrogen oxides, which are produced during gas combustion, is associated with respiratory problems such as asthma and reduced lung function, especially in children. For example, a meta-analysis of 41 studies in 2013 found that children living in a home that used gas for cooking had a 42 percent increased risk of developing asthma. If it is not possible to replace your gas stove, there are other things you can do to reduce the risk. Try using other cooking methods whenever possible, including microwaves and portable induction burners, use the back burners more often, and make sure you ventilate when cooking, says Rob Jackson, a professor of environmental science at Stanford University. read more There has been a move between some scientists and famous chefs to switch from gas stoves to electric ones, as the latter release less indoor pollutants. (Tim Boyle / Getty Images)

What else is happening?

The workforce shortage is not over – and employers need to lower their recruitment expectations Businesses are giving up some of their job requirements as they struggle to find the right candidates. Avian flu poses a “significant risk” to Canadian poultry farms as cases have been reported in many provinces. Human transmission is not yet a concern, but the strain could disrupt the poultry industry. The oysters BC At least 91 people have become ill across the United States, following nearly 300 reported cases in Canada. Some Kinder chocolates are being recalled because of the risk of salmonella The Canadian Food and Drug Administration says recalled chocolates should not be consumed.

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