The closer a Prince Rupert woman looked at the deer in her yard, the stranger things became for her.

B次元官网网址淚t was the first time IB次元官网网址檝e seen anything like that; it was pretty bizarre,B次元官网网址� said Joan Dudoward.

Dudoward is a senior residing on 11th Avenue East in Prince Rupert.

A flash of movement caught her eye as she scrubbed her breakfast plates on a typical Wednesday morning. Peeking out the window above her sink, she gaspedB次元官网网址� a majestic buck with massive antlers stood gracefully in her yard.

B次元官网网址淎s soon as I noticed the huge buck, I ran and grabbed my camera to photograph it. IB次元官网网址檝e been taking photos since I was a teenager...I photograph everything,B次元官网网址� she said.

She says he cozied up to lie on the grass and stayed for about half an hour.

B次元官网网址淗e was wiggling his ears so I zoomed in and noticed a tag clipped on him,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 thought, why is this dear clipped? I got very concerned.B次元官网网址�

Dudoward, driven by her curiosity, noted that one side of the clip was labelled B次元官网网址淏C WILDLIFE 06-529,B次元官网网址� while the other read B次元官网网址淐ALL RAP: 877-952-7227.B次元官网网址�

It was suspicious because the number displayed is very similar but different from the official number of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Conservation Officer Service, which is 1-877-952-7277. Also, the legitimate acronym for their hotline, Report All Poachers and Polluters, is B次元官网网址淩APP,B次元官网网址� not B次元官网网址淩AP,B次元官网网址� as indicated on the tag.

She called the number on the neon green tag to inquire about the buck, but reached a woman who spoke to her very hurriedly, she said.

The woman, who identified herself as Jessica, wanted to send Dudoward a B次元官网网址渇ree medical alert deviceB次元官网网址� that she could wear around her neck.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e very excited to tell you about a special promotion for select callers,B次元官网网址� Dudoward recalls the woman saying.

She was then asked questions such as her age to check eligibility. Jessica then explained that as a senior, the device would help her in emergencies, such as falls, by alerting her immediate contacts.

To proceed with delivery, she said she needed some personal information from Dudoward, such as her address.

Then, Dudoward was abruptly transferred to another agent who continued the call. But when she tried to ask her about the buck and why the agency had clipped its number on his ear, they wouldnB次元官网网址檛 respond but instead continued to promote their products

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 just cruelty to animals. They are targeting seniors for sure, and hurting the deer in the process,B次元官网网址� said Dudoward.

She wondered how they must have handled the wild animal to dart him. She questioned, B次元官网网址淒id they sedate him? What exactly happened there?B次元官网网址� She was absolutely shocked.

Dudoward couldnB次元官网网址檛 comprehend why B.C. Wildlife, a legitimate organization, would have put this companyB次元官网网址檚 number on the buck's ear.

The incident reminded her of this continued pattern of companies attempting to target elderly and vulnerable individuals.

B次元官网网址淚 also have my motherB次元官网网址檚 old number, and it gets scam calls all the time,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淗ow can they do that? Especially to seniors. They are trying to decide if they should pay the rent or get medication,B次元官网网址� said Dudoward in frustration.

She proceeded to contact the legitimate conservation officerB次元官网网址檚 number, who, like the local RCMP, didnB次元官网网址檛 pay much heed to her situation, she said.

The next day, Dudoward called the agencyB次元官网网址檚 number on the tag again, and the conversation took a completely different turn. Now, the agent asked if she was 18 and was promoting products aimed at youth. They informed her that she needed to pay $3 through a call paywall to proceed to the next step, during which she would be directed to the free products for which she was eligible.

B次元官网网址淭he message keeps changing; this is so strange,B次元官网网址� said Dudoward.

The Northern View investigated the call and found that it was an intricately designed AI automated voice call. The system guides the caller through different phases by detecting both their spoken responses and the number keys they press. Contrary to DudowardB次元官网网址檚 initial belief, it wasnB次元官网网址檛 a live human speaking to her, but a pre-recorded one.

In fact, similar cases of fraud involving medical alert devices have happened in the U.S. before, prompting the and the to issue cautionary alerts for consumers regarding these B次元官网网址渞obocalls.B次元官网网址�

The authorities advised seniors to immediately hang up, not press any keys when prompted, and avoid sharing personal information.

B次元官网网址淔raud is the number one crime against older Canadians. Though people of all ages can be victims of fraud, older people get targeted more than others,B次元官网网址� states the Canadian Government on its 

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) says that there have been 40,623 reports of fraud this year up to Oct. 31, resulting in a loss of $503 million.

Vishing is a social engineering technique that uses voice communication technology. It involves fraudulent phone calls to trick the victim into revealing personal data.

The CAFC advises caution during phone calls. They urge people not to hesitate to say no if something feels off and not to feel pressured by urgency or time limits. They also encourage taking enough time to research before sharing personal information.

The Northern View contacted the B.C. Wildlife Federation for a comment regarding the tag on the buck.

B次元官网网址淭he Conservation Officer Service darted this deer Nov. 5 to remove wires wrapped around its antlers. The tag is legitimate, but unfortunately has the wrong number on it for RAPP. The new versions of the tag have the correct number and COS will stop using these older tags,B次元官网网址� said Jesse Zeman, executive director at B.C. Wildlife Federation.

Although the exact cause of this mistake is unclear, anyone who suspects fraud should contact CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or their local police.