The Northeast District RCMP is asking for the public's help as part of its investigation into a "gifting cloud' or "gifting circle" scheme circulating in the northern part of the province.
Since early summer, the RCMP has been receiving ongoing reports of people being invited to invest a "gift" of money, with the promise of a significant financial pay-off at a future date. Those approached are then asked to recruit new 'investors' to contribute before they can receive their supposed payment.
Such "gifting clouds" or "gifting circles" are pyramid schemes. They are fraud and are illegal.
"The RCMP has been working to identify those responsible for perpetrating this scam in the region," says Sgt. Martin Janson of the Saint-Quentin RCMP. "We are asking anyone who has been approached to take part in a 'gifting cloud' or 'gifting circle' to come forward and report it to police, to help prevent others from being victimized."
Information can be provided by calling the Saint-Quentin RCMP detachment at 506-235-2149. To provide information anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.crimenb.ca.