Lethbridge Police to host fraud prevention presentations

By Lethbridge Herald on February 25, 2026.

Herald photo by ALejandra pulido-guzman Sgt. Kevin Talbot of the Economic Crimes Unit talks to media about fraud awareness month Tuesday at the police station.

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Police Service’s Economic Crimes Unit will host three community events to help residents recognize, prevent and report fraud in March. 

Sergeant Kevin Talbot of the Economic Crimes Unit said Tuesday they are excited to kick off Fraud Awareness Month in March with their three community events thanks to partnerships with the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization, Nord-Bridge Senior Centre and the Cor Van Raay YMCA.

“There will be two presentations, one at the two of the senior centres and the one at the YMCA will be more of an information session, for people to come and go as they please and ask some questions,” said Talbot.  

The first event will take place at the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization on March 5, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. for a Fraud Prevention presentation. 

The second event will take place at Nord-Bridge Senior Centre on March 10 from 1 to 2 p.m. for a Fraud Prevention presentation.

The third event will take place at the Cor Van Raay YMCA on March 25 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for an “Ask an Officer” – Fraud Prevention Drop-In. 

Talbot said fraud continues to impact individuals of all ages in our community and these sessions will provide practical information on current scams, warning signs to watch for, and steps to take if they or someone they know becomes a victim.

“We’re sharing what the trends are locally. We will delve into those a little bit more than just saying that it’s a romance scam. We’ll get into the nuts and bolts of what a romance scam is, who it impacts and how you can protect yourself from it,” said Talbot. 

He said criminals take on this type of scams because it is easy, they can sit on their desk and scam someone, as opposed to having personal interaction with somebody and put in the work.

“Fraud in the city and across the country are increasing. Last year we reached a total loss of around $645 million in Canada. And we’re well on our way to that this year,” said Talbot. 

He said technology is making it easier for fraud to take place and that is one of the reasons they want to host the fraud prevention presentations. 

Additional fraud prevention resources can also be accessed on the Lethbridge Police’s Frauds and Scam webpage or through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Becoming educated about frauds and scams is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones.