Alberta RCMP warn of phoney photo radar tickets

RCMP in Red Deer and Fort Saskatchewan are warning about a traffic ticket scam after getting several calls from the public Thursday.

In a news release, Red Deer RCMP said 11 people called about the scam. Some received five separate emails demanding payment for a traffic violation.

Callers to police weren't fooled

The fake email doesn't say which law was broken, but cites"negligent driving" as a reason for the ticket.

Police said nobody who called them about the scam fell victim.

RCMP shared an example of the scam email

It's just sevenlines long, opening with "Hello Driver! You have been detected with a speed violation."

The amount due: $699.31.

There's also a link for payment that RCMP warn not to click on.

"As with any unexpected demand for money, recipients need to examine it closely and ask themselves questions about the legitimacy of the claim, including who it's coming from," Const. Derek Turner said in the news release.

In a separate news release, Fort Saskatchewan RCMP said the payment link in the email"is believed to contain a virus and/or redirect the user to a phishing page designed to solicit personal information from the user for criminal purposes such as identity theft."

RCMP saidreal photo radar tickets are sent to drivers in the mail, never by email. They would also show a picture of the vehicle as well as details of the exact infraction, and clear information about how and when to pay or fight the ticket.