If you received an email from Coquitlam's mayor asking you to buy gift cards for him, don't be fooled.
Richard Stewart warned people on social media that scammers have been posing as him and asking his friends to buy the gift cards and to email him the numbers.
"It was a cause of concern, obviously. We don’t want well-meaning people, who are trying to help, being put in a position where they could lose a lot of money," Stewart told CTV News.
The email, purportedly from Stewart, is titled "Benevolence." It asks the receiver to urgently handle the request at any nearby store.
He said he would never send such request via email or text and jokingly added that if he was going to ask for something, it would be dark chocolate or another kind of treat.
He admits the email is absurd but some kind-hearted people may be tricked it because they want to help. He doesn’t mince his words to the scammers.
"I would call them scum," he said. "If you're targeting people during the holiday season – if you're simply trying to steal stuff that doesn’t belong to you – this is really despicable stuff."
But crooks don't take a break during the holidays, instead, they're looking to take advantage of people.
There's been a spike in reports of packages going missing in the Lower Mainland, according to Vancouver police.
Authorities hinted bait parcels could be used to catch the crooks.
"We don't like to share our techniques publically and our investigative plans publically. But I do have a message for thieves out there: the next time you take a parcel from someone's doorstep, it could belong to your local police department," Sgt. Jason Robillard said.
Police are hoping the stern warning would make a potential thief think twice before snatching up someone else's parcel.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Ben Miljure
