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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, March 8, 2013 | 6 Editorial Peggy Rayner could be anyone's grandmother. "Connected to your Community" Protect yourself The kind, gentle 88-year-old Halton senior looks like she couldn't have an enemy in the world. But someone viewed the tea-drinking octogenarian as nothing more than an easy mark; prey, if you will. On Feb. 26, Rayner received a call from a man claiming to work at Rayner's local bank branch. The caller said $4,400 had been withdrawn from her account and a bank teller was suspected. The male caller then asked Rayner to withdraw $4,400 from a "dummy" account that had been set up in a bid to catch the teller in the act. He told her not to touch the money, but ensure the money was put in an envelope so that the teller's ngerprints were on the cash. Rayner complied and returned home. The man later called and asked to meet her in the mall parking lot, outside the bank. Rayner drove to the parking lot where a man calling himself `Mr. Price' approached her, took the money and said an arrest would be made. Rayner returned home and discovered the money was missing from her bank account. "I wasn't thinking," said Rayner, who said she feels like an "utter idiot," but came forward to share her story in hopes of preventing another senior from being victimized. To their credit, the bank has stepped forward to help out Rayner. Anyone can fall victim to a slick-talking fraud artist and that's why it's vital that all residents -- especially seniors -- be aware that scam artists abound and that they should be extra cautious in dealing with people they don't know. They should also never give personal information to a stranger either in person or over the phone. Police are looking for a short man with a slim build around the age of 60. Rayner offered a warning, "He'll be a senior one day." Hopefully he'll celebrate that milestone... behind bars. March is Fraud Awareness Month in Halton and police just this week issued another warning, not just to seniors, but all Halton residents, to beware what police authorities call the Anti-Virus Scam. Someone calls to say a computer is infected with a virus, and gets a resident to allow the caller access to their computer, only to use that access to install a virus. The caller then removes the virus, but asks for credit card payment for the removal service. In some instances, the caller pushes it even further by calling back and noting that for another fee, a resident's computer can be updated with current anti-virus protection. As people explore, dabble and become frequent users of new technology, they should be aware that, as in all things, others are using the new trend as a new window of opportunity for false gain. Police advise residents to be very careful about providing credit card and/or banking information to anyone over the phone or Internet. It's sound advice. Even in the new information age, oldfashioned common sense and a measure of caution will come in handy. For tips on how not to become a victim of fraud, visit www.haltonpolice.ca or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca. 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Fax: (905) 337-5566 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 29 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Letters to the Editor It was with much sadness that I read in the Oakville Beaver about the passing of Rod Jerred. In January 2010, I met with Mr. Jerred to pitch the idea of writing a blog about volunteering with Speed Skating Canada at the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. Rod Jerred's enthusiasm was infectious His enthusiasm was infectious. With a huge smile, he put me in contact with the right people to set it up and with his editor hat on, provided suggestions about the stories he wanted covered. I will always be grateful to Mr. Jerred for the opportunity to combine my love of writing with a wonderful volunteer experience and to share it with my own community. Mr. Jerred kept in touch with me during and after the Olympic Games and I am truly lucky to have met him. My deepest sympathy to his family. Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Carleen Carroll, Oakville Recently, Halton Regional Council unanimously passed the 2013 Regional budget, delivering a zero per cent tax increase for regional programs and services. This brings the seven-year average tax increase to zero per cent for regional services, while maintaining service levels in a growing community and compensating for provin- Halton Region approves zero per cent tax hike cial funding shortfalls. For more information on the budget, visit www.halton.ca/ budget and to watch my recent video on the 2013 budget, visit http://haltonchair.wordpress. com/2013/02/19/2013budget-and-business-planvideo. If you have any Regional concerns or comments, e-mail me at gary.carr@halton.ca. To receive further updates on Regional issues, please subscribe to my quarterly e-newsletter http://webaps.halton. ca/News/alerts/Subscribe. cfm/The Carr Report. You can also nd me on Twitter (www.twitter.com) @ garycarrhalton and on Facebook www.facebook.com. Proud Official Media Sponsor For: ATHENA Award Gary Carr, chair Halton Region The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from it's readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.