CALGARY -- Calgary police are reminding good-hearted members of the public to be cautious after a common scam has resurfaced in the city to claim more victims.

Officials say 'distraction thefts,' which are incidents where criminals approach victims in public setting and appeal to their good nature to help them out of a bind, are on the rise. Police say 10 such situations were reported to them since the beginning of March.

In most of the incidents, police say victims are asked for money for gas or some other purchase, explaining that they lost access to their credit cards or other forms of payment.

In exchange, the scammers offer gold or jewelry. It's often only after they have left that the victim realizes the items are fake.

Police say other incidents have resulted in offenders making physical contact with their victims, paving the way for them to steal jewelry or other personal items.

Officials add that sometimes the distraction thefts even occur in residential neighbourhoods.

"In one case, an offender knocked on the door to a victim’s residence and asked to use the washroom. Once inside, the offender stole valuables from a nearby bedroom," police wrote in a release.

Police say the scam is common, particularly around this time of year when more people are taking advantage of the warmer weather to travel. They say it's unknown if the criminals in the reported incidents are connected to one another, but they all take advantage of the same thing.

"We know that these offenders will prey on the good nature of Calgarians, especially seniors and vulnerable members of our community," says Staff Sgt. Jeremy Wittman of the CPS criminal intelligence unit.

"Don’t be afraid to ask questions, always keep your distance and contact police if you feel unsafe."

CPS also offer the following tips to help protect against falling victim to one of these schemes:

Always question the item being offered for sale – if it looks too good to be true, it probably isn't;

Never feel pressured to agree to the transaction;

Make sure you maintain a proper physical distance and never allow someone you don't know into your home; and

Report all incidents to the police non-emergency line to help track the movements of criminals and help the CPS make an arrest.

Anyone with information about recent distraction thefts and scams is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:

TALK: 1-800-222-8477

TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org

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