ID 105648564 © Golubovystock | Dreamstime.com

By Alyssa Rudolph

scam

Saskatchewan residents reminded to watch for holiday and merger-related scams

Dec 23, 2025 | 6:00 AM

As the year comes to an end, people in Saskatchewan are reminded to stay vigilant against scams.

Conexus Credit Union expects the beginning of the Christmas holidays and the upcoming merger of three Sask. credit unions will cause an increase in fraudulent activity.

Media relation specialist for Conexus Credit Union said scammers often take advantage of people during times of change.

“Unfortunately, the holidays are a peak time for a multitude of increasingly sophisticated scams,” said Michael Chmielewski in a statement to battlefordsNOW. “All types of scams proliferate during the holidays because people are shopping more and they are online more.”

The most common holiday themed scams often include too-good-to-be-true-offers, charity scams, and fake e-transfers for online marketplaces. However, during the merger, scammers will be posed as financial institutions.

BATTLEFORDS COMMUNITY PLAYERS

For the love of theatre: 'Bittergirl' cast brings heartbreak and humour to the stage

13h ago

Feb. 24, 2022

'You just get used to it': Four years after fleeing war, a displaced Ukrainian reflects on life in Saskatchewan

15h ago

International incident

Sask. residents vacationing in Mexico making best of a bad situation

16h ago

“Unfortunately, we fully expect these scams based around our merger news to increase. That’s why we’re warning the public today ahead of the holidays and the legal merger integration date on Jan. 1, 2026,” said Chief Risk and Compliance Officer Mark Millham in a Conexus news article.

Individuals are told to be cautious and question any unusual requests since new scams are being uncovered frequently. Chmielewski said in the most recent scams, fraudsters are posed as major streaming platforms.

“The fraudsters call people in Saskatchewan and claim a payment has failed. The fraudsters then ask for card details to “resolve” the issue, but they are going to start using that card’s information for fraudulent purchases,” he said.

Since scams are always evolving, people are encouraged to stay informed on how different scenarios are performed. They are also reminded to never enter or give out personal information and make sure banking passwords are strong and never reused.

People who believe they may be a victim of a scam or who encountered any fraudulent activity should contact their banking institution immediately to report the incident.

—

alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com