By Kamloops This Week
The public is being warned to be aware of scam artists who call and purport to be from WestJet and other Canadian companies.
The scam, which has been practised for several years, sees the fraudulent telemarketers call random telephone numbers across the country in an effort to sell questionable holiday packages to Mexico.
The callers mask the real number they are calling from with a more familiar phone number from local area codes to increase the likelihood the person will answer the phone.
The company names represented on these phone calls have been:
• Luxury Getaway Group (luxurygetawaygroup.com)
• Caribbean Sun Trips (caribbeansuntrips.com)
• Caribbean Sun Group (caribbeansungroup.net)
• Global Group Travel
WestJet officials say their airline does not use telemarketers or make telemarketing phone calls, nor does it share customers’ private information with third parties for the purposes of telemarketing.
The airline is not connected in any way to any of these companies.
The public can report these phone calls and other fraudulent activity to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by going online to antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/index.html or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
Canadians who are registered on the National Do Not Call List should also report these phone calls to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission through the list operator online at lnnte-dncl.gc.ca or by calling 1-866-580-3625.
Information, such as the date and time of the call, the telemarketer’s name and telephone number, the telephone number that received the call and any additional information that would identify the caller, or on whose behalf the call is being made, such as a website, will help the CRTC’s enforcement officers.