Alberta government warns of scammers trying to cash in on $600 inflation relief payments
Scammers targeted Albertans within hours of a provincial inflation relief program going live on Wednesday.
Certain families, seniors and residents on income support are eligible for $600 over six months under the program. Those eligible could apply through an online portal starting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
- Eligible Albertans can now apply for $600 affordability payments
- What you need to know about Alberta's $100 per month affordability payments
But several viewers contacted CTV News reporting they received a suspicious text message on or before Wednesday.
Earlier in the week, one Albertan, whose name CTV News agreed not to use, received what looked like a text message notification from My Alberta to register for the automatic bank deposits. It contained a link to a website that looked like the government's information page about the program and required human verification.
But when the site requested his banking information, it occurred to him that the URL "govprivatepass.life" was strange and he left the site.
CTV News Calgary's Stephanie Thomas received the same message.
The affordability and utilities ministry confirmed it was not contacting residents by text.
"Alberta's not going to text you or call you and request your personal or banking information. So please just go to alberta.ca/affordable or any registry to access these benefits. Don't go anywhere else," minister Matt Jones said.
"We hope [the program] alleviates some of the inflationary pressures that Albertans are feeling over the next six months."
Jones said about 77,000 applications had been received as of 3 p.m., despite about an hour when the webpage had some technical issues and moved slow for some.
This is not the first time a provincial program has been used as a scam front.
In June, scammers tried to capitalize on utility rebates being offered by the provincial government.
In 2021, scammers tried to sell COVID-19 vaccine appointments.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Lampa
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PM Trudeau presents premiers $196B health-care funding deal, including $46B in new funding
The federal government is pledging to increase health funding to Canada's provinces and territories by $196.1 billion over the next 10 years, in a long-awaited deal aimed at addressing Canada's crumbling health-care systems with $46.2 billion in new funding.

Inflation 'turning the corner' after multiple rate increases: BoC governor
After raising interest rates eight consecutive times, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem told an audience in Quebec City on Tuesday that inflation is showing signs of 'turning the corner' and that the coming year 'will be different.'
Newborn, toddler saved from rubble in quake-hit Syrian town
Residents digging through a collapsed building in a northwest Syrian town discovered a crying infant whose mother appears to have given birth to her while buried underneath the rubble from this week's devastating earthquake, relatives and a doctor said Tuesday.
Balloons and drones among 768 Canadian UFO reports from 2022: researcher
Balloons and drones were among 768 reported UFO sightings in Canada last year, according to Winnipeg-based researcher Chris Rutkowski, who also found that eight per cent of all cases remained unexplained.
How more than 100 women realized they may have dated, been deceived by the same man
An Ontario man is being accused of changing his name, profession and life story multiple times to potentially more than 100 women online before leaving some out thousands of dollars.
Canadians now expect to need $1.7M in order to retire: BMO survey
Canadians now believe they need $1.7 million in savings in order to retire, a 20 per cent increase from 2020, according to a new BMO survey. The eye-watering figure is the largest sum since BMO first started surveying Canadians about their retirement expectations 13 years ago.
3 men missing after canceled rap gig were fatally shot
Three men who disappeared after planning to rap at a Detroit party were killed by multiple gunshots, police said Tuesday, five days after their bodies were found in a vacant, rat-infested building.
B.C. COVID-denier had illness but died of drug overdose, coroner says
A report from British Columbia's coroner says a prominent anti-vaccine and COVID critic died in 2021 of a drug overdose, although he also tested positive for the illness post-mortem.
U.S. actor facing sex charges in Nevada also facing charge in B.C.
A former actor in the movie 'Dances With Wolves' who is facing eight sex-related charges in Nevada is also facing a charge in British Columbia.