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•Th e IF P• H al to n H ill s • Th ur sd ay , M ar ch 2 7, 2 01 4 6 OPINION Con artists aren't shy about taking your hard-earned money. These char- latans spend their time trolling for an easy buck rather than making an hon- est living, tricking people who don't know better into handing over their savings. Identity theft accounts for a lot of calls to police. As a result, police urge the public to report lost or stolen wal- lets and valuables, and to shred docu- ments containing personal, financial or sensitive information when disposing of them. Internet fraud makes up about 20 per cent of fraud-related investigations. Common online schemes include the "apartment rental scam", the "internet dating scam", "online auction fraud", and the "computer virus scam". If you find you have been ripped off, report it to authorities -- keeping it a secret only makes it easier for fraud- sters to defraud more victims. To report a monetary loss due to a fraud, call the police and let them know what happened to you. Chances are you're not the first, or last, if no one comes forward. You can also contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501, info@antifraudcentre.ca). You should also advise all financial institutions and companies where you have accounts, such as your phone or cable provider, about the fraud. The Independent & Free Press is published Thursday and is one of sev- eral Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copy- right. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Independent & Free Press is a member of the Ontario Press Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns. For additional information or to file a complaint, contact info@ ontpress.com or call 416- 340-1981. The Independent & Free Press Tell someone Letters to the editor Dear editor, I have just finished reading another glowing article patting ourselves on the back about the hospital expansion. I wish I could join in the chorus but unfortunately I can't. My wife, who has since died, was on the list for a lung transplant. She woke up early one morning in severe pain. She said she thought one of her lungs had collapsed and it turned out she was right. Because of the inflex- ible EMS system in Ontario she could not go to Toronto General so she was taken to Georgetown. The doctor in Emergency agreed it was a collapsed lung but said he couldn't insert a tube until he was as- sisted by an anesthetist. Unfortunately there wasn't one available so they had to call one in. Almost one hour later he arrived, complete with a Tim Hortons coffee. The procedure was performed but when my wife started to bloat up they called for the Ornge helicopter and its team repositioned the tube so that it was correctly placed before making the 20-minute flight to Toronto. My wife didn't die because of this incident but it sure didn't help. The only point I am trying to make is that unless we have the staff and skills available, this wonderful new facility will never live up to its po- tential so there had better be some additional funding for the soft side of the equation. Paul Skinner, Georgetown As the Spring season officially begins, what will you remember most about the Winter of 2013-2014? • The December ice storm (63%) • The seemingly unending winter (32%) • More than usual snowfall (3%) • The polar vortexes (2%) WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.theifp.ca) Hospital needs the right tools Thoughtless driver killed cat limit posted for a residential area. Pablo was a family pet and will be greatly missed. So to all the motorists who travel our residential streets, please slow down and be aware of your surroundings cause there are family pets and children on those streets. To the young man who wit- nessed this devastating event I would like to thank you for your kindness in removing Pablo from the middle of the street. To the driver of that car, God has a way to pay back. Please residents of Georgetown slow down cause next time this could be your story. Penny Parker, Georgetown Letters must include the author's name, address and daytime phone number. Anony- mous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publica- tion is not guaranteed. Email: cgamble@theifp.ca Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 77, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Letters policy 905-873-0301 Publisher: Dana Robbins General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: Chris Vernon (cvernon@metroland.com) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifieds/Real Estate Kristie Pells (classified@theifp.ca or realestate@theifp.ca) Classified Call Centre 1-855-415-8237 haltonhillsclassads@metroland.com Accounting 1-866-773-6575 Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) Get the latest headlines delivered to your inbox by signing up for our twice weekly electronic newsletter. Go to www.theifp.ca and click on 'Newsletter sign-up' at the bottom of the homepage. Dear editor, To the person who hit and killed my black and white cat on Prince Charles Drive between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Monday, March 17. Your thoughtlessness has caused me and my family a world of sor- row. The street is not the Indy 500. Your small black vehicle was traveling in excess of the speed