Fraud is on the rise in Canada

by Brandon Mayer

Last week, a social media user felt the need to post in a local property rental group warning others never to pay money up front before seeing a potential rental unit. In the current day and age, such a warning really is necessary and is a sign of a good neighbour. Can anyone imagine the same warning being necessary 10-20 years ago?

It’s easy to assume that people are becoming more naïve, which makes them logical targets for scammers. One popular one-liner joke that circulates online frequently is this: “If you think you are smarter than the previous generation… 50 years ago the owner’s manual of a car showed you how to adjust the valves. Today it warns you not to drink the contents of the battery.” Jokes aside, I don’t think people are becoming more naïve, I think they are just getting more desperate.

According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, run by the Government of Canada, Canadians lost $490 million to fraud in 2022 as of November 30 (meaning the number would have been even higher at the end of the year). In 2021, the total loss to fraud was $383 million. It appears that fraud is on the rise. Imagine what could be done with all that money. The hungry could be fed, the homeless could be housed, and the sick could be treated more efficiently. Instead, this money is buying lavish houses and cars and other unneeded items for those who simply don’t deserve them.

One scam that is relatively new is the basic real estate scam. It is not hard for scammers to obtain genuine photos of rental properties. After all, these photos are usually taken by property owners and posted online whenever a unit goes up for rent, so they can easily be saved by scammers when a unit is available and stored away for future use. These photos are then re-posted at a later date with a false message that the unit is available. The scammer asks for a deposit to be sent before the unit can be seen and of course, that money is never seen again unless the scammer is caught.

Before judging those who are willing to e-transfer a sight unseen deposit for a rental property, remember that housing is currently in high demand and unattainable for many, and scammers have the luxury of offering great deals on housing since

New Year’s Resolutions

submitted by: Danielle Labonte, RD, MPH, MAN, Public Health Nutritionist with the Leeds, Grenville, and Lanark District Health Unit Nutrition

The New Year is here and often with this comes messaging around resolutions focused on changing our eating habits. There are certainly times where changing our eating habits can be helpful and improve our health; for example, increasing our vegetable and fruit intake or drinking more water are excellent goals to set. However, in our society it is often normalized to talk and think about food in a way that can lead to people having a negative relationship with it and with our bodies. It is common for weight and food to be linked together, specifically when we think about “dieting” as a way to change our bodies. This can lead to disordered eating and eating disorders, among other negative outcomes. Disordered eating is a term that includes a wide range of harmful eating behaviors that may not warrant an eating disorder diagnosis, and eating disorders are illnesses with specific and narrow criteria that health care practitioners would use to diagnose individuals.

Some red flags to keep in mind include mes- saging around leaving out an entire food group (i.e., vegetables and fruit, whole grains, and protein foods), ignoring hunger cues (e.g., through intermittent fasting, calorie restriction), villainizing certain foods (i.e., labeling them as good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, calling certain foods “junk” food), and feeling guilt around eating certain foods. These are all signs that something might be leading you down the wrong path.

To combat this, it is helpful to be mindful of these red flags. Consider your language used around food and strive for neutral language; call foods by their names - for example, cookie, apple, chips, broccoli, etc. Check your self-talk related to your own body image and relationship with food, and avoid judging yourself based on what you eat. This can be challenging to get used to, but the more often you are able to reflect on this, the easier it becomes.

It is also helpful to be aware of the mindset of those around you and surround yourself with those who will support you through the process. You may need to set boundaries with individuals who might be more triggering – certain topics might be “off limits”, or you might delay seeing them until they don’t have to come good for them. Anyone who has ever felt the pressure of competing with others to swoop in and secure a place to live, while multiple others are vying for the same place, knows that a lapse in judgement is understandable.

The most common advice when it comes to avoiding scams is probably also the simplest – when something seems too good to be true, it likely is. Don’t give deposits sight unseen. Don’t provide personal information to someone whose identity can’t be easily and firmly verified. Use common sense when it comes to scammer tactics. Think a scam can’t happen to you? It has already happened to many of those around you – to the tune of $490 million. Let’s lower the 2023 statistic.

Celebrate the joy of snowmobiling at the 48th Snowarama Ride for Easter Seals Kids

Snowmobilers will hit the trails on Sunday, February 4, 2023 for the North/South Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids. The annual event takes place on Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) groomed trails, and encourages winter enthusiasts to raise funds for children and youth with physical disabilities.

you are in a better place.

Physical Activity

Increasing physical activity is another area that people often want to change in the New Year. Similar to eating, this is usually linked to wanting to change how our bodies look. Let’s start off by acknowledging that most people do not get enough physical activity in general, but what we want to avoid is linking physical activity to changing the way our bodies look. Research shows that this can actually demotivate people and create a negative relationship with being active. Instead, think about being active for reasons aside from how we look. For example, our mental health, stress management, blood sugar control, heart and bone health, as well as building and maintaining strength, flexibility, mobility and independence as we age. Creating goals for ourselves to increase our activity is beneficial as it can lead to healthy habits to include more movement throughout our week, and including a variety of activities helps to improve our strength, flexibility, endurance, and mental health. It is recommended that adults get two and a half hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week. This can be in smaller chunks of ten minutes or more through- out the week, or in larger chunks, less often. Whatever works for you! It is also recommended that we do strength activities for our muscles and bones at least twice a week. Some tips to help you make this a habit include:

• Scheduling it into your day - maybe you do something every morning, or certain days of the week

• Being active with others - you could join a class or find a workout buddy

• Setting small, achievable goals to work towards; for example walking longer, further, or faster each week

For more information, visit our Health Unit website at healthunit.org, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, or give us a call at 1-800-660-5853.

Now in its 48th year, Snowarama offers attendees the chance to get outside alongside their community and hit the trails in support of children with physical disabilities. This year, snowmobilers from 10 communities across Ontario will take part in this family-friendly event, including Timmins, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay.

Everyone, snowmobiler or not, is welcome to come out and enjoy this year’s North/South Snowarama, which will start with a pancake breakfast, open to the public. Breakfast and registration will take place between 9 am and noon at the Riverside Recreation Hall, 13137 Riverside Drive, Riverside Heights, ON. Snow or no snow, the breakfast will go on. After the Pancake breakfast, if snow conditions permit, we will have a run to the Mountain Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club House where we will end the day with an outdoor wiener roast. All riders must have a trail permit.

“For 48 years the OFSC has enjoyed a successful partnership with Easter Seals Ontario,” said Paul Murray, President, OFSC. “Each year participants look forward to a safe, snowmobiling experience at Snowarama events across Ontario. Participants are warmed to know that funds raised help kids with physical disabilities receive essential programs and services within their communities.”

“For over four decades Easter Seals has shared a deep and loyal partnership with the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs,” says Kevin Collins, President & CEO, Easter Seals Ontario. “We are consistently grateful for the participation of local sponsors and riders who contribute to the success of Snowarama events across the province year after year.”

Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids is locally sponsored and endorsed by the OFSC. To participate or donate call Heather Cooke-Erwin at 613-9893-6145, or email at heathercookerwinphotography@gmail.com,or visit Snowarama.org.

A trusted partner and champion since 1922, Easter Seals Ontario is proud to mark 100 years of changing the world for kids with physical disabilities. Forging the way for enhanced care and services for children with physical disabilities over the past century, Easter Seals Ontario has had a profound impact on the development of treatment, care, services and advocacy initiatives for these young people. Today, Easter Seals Ontario continues to offer life-changing programs that enable kids with physical disabilities to experience greater independence, freedom, and dignity, made possible through the generosity and dedication of donors, sponsors, local service clubs, volunteers and staff. For more information or to donate, visit EasterSeals.org or connect on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.