Okanagan Regional Library is the target of a phone scam.
Some residents are being phoned by a scammer.
“In both cases, a caller identified themselves as a collection agency working for the library to collect overdue fees,” said Marla O’Brien, ORL public relations manager.
“Be aware that ORL only uses a collection agency in the event that a member has more than $50 in fines due over 90 days, and always follows up with a written account outlining the fees and methods of payment. Members are never asked to pay fines over the phone.”
One of the people called is not a library member, and the ORL’s IT department can confirm there has been no compromise to personal information or the library’s data systems.
“With almost one in three people in our region being active library card members, it is not difficult for a scammer to call people at random in an effort to try to commit fraud with this kind of tactic,” said O’Brien.
“This is another example of how savvy scam artists are becoming.”
O’Brien says anyone who receives a suspicious call should not give out any personal information and should contact their local library branch.