No you did not just win a free trip with WestJet.

We're receiving multiple reports of phone scams targeting locals on Salt Spring Island. We've also been receiving the same type of scam messages by phone. What makes these robo-call phone scams unique is that the scam appears to be spoofing local numbers. Numbers are showing up a few characters off the numbers of the recipients. For example, if your number is 250-537-8888 the phone numbers showing up in the call display might be something like 250-537-8889. When you receive the call two things happen. 1) You think it' someone local. 2) The number seems familiar somehow so you're more likely to answer it but the message is an automated robocall, not the person who owns that number.

We also have a 604 mobile and the same thing has been happening for months with that phone as well. The scam is the same in both instances and while the numbers are often real, they aren't being placed by the person to whom the numbers belong. One was saying that we had won a trip on WestJet and the other was saying something about Sears Travel.

In short, if someone calls with a local number and it is an automated message telling you about having won something with WestJet or another service and asking you to hold or press one for more information, it's likely a scam. You can try and press 1 and asked to be removed from their list, which I've done, but the calls keep coming. Tina Kempling from Imagine that Graphics here on Salt Spring tried calling Telus and the RCMP about the issue. This is what they told her: "I spoke with Telus, but reporting it is all that I am able to do. They indicated that they can’t stop these sort of calls. I spoke to the RCMP to let them know it was happening, and they told me much of the same. However, they mentioned informing people to let them know that this is going on."

Our advice, just hang up, try blocking the number or if you have time on your hands and want to have some fun, wait to speak with the spammers themselves and try giving them a hard time. They will prob just hang up on you like they did to us even though it doesn't seem to stop them from calling again.