iN DISCUSSION: How do we deal with ever-evolving scams?

This is where cold hard facts give way to the hottest of takes, mostly mine I suppose. I’m the editor, Marshall Jones.

Want to include yours? Listen, this isn’t the comment section, this isn’t social media. Discussion and debate requires context and a wee bit of bravery — we need your name and where you’re writing from. Include it in your account or email me anytime.

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Fraudsters hope you’re too embarrassed to report scams

They thought they were buying their dream condo at Big White from an international seller.

They had a realtor help them buy. They went back and forth on the sale price before agreeing. 

All was proceeding as expected.

Then, among final steps before sending $580,000, their lawyer found something wrong with the passports and ID of the sellers.

That’s when they found out it was all a scam.

It’s not all ‘Nigerian prince’ letters anymore, that’s some dedication from these crooks. Low likelihood of success, but high reward if it worked, I guess. And very low chance of getting caught.

That’s why I think these stories are so important. People often feel deep shame when they are targeted. They don’t want to talk about it. We don’t want to embarrass anyone, we want to arm and inform our readers to a growing number of these scams and that they can happen to anyone.

Our company has attracted the specific attention of some of these scammers (I hope it wasn’t something I said). We get constant custom phishing messages through our inboxes, some masking email addresses, some very convincing. 

It’s been almost 10 years of dodging these bullets so they’re persistent.

The only way I can think of for dealing with these ever-evolving scams — about to get a big boost from AI — is to stay vigilant, stay informed and keep talking about it. 

What do you say? Email me at mjones@infonews.ca.

Mj

Marshall Jones

Managing Editor

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New WHL rivalry makes junior hockey more exciting

I’m a hockey fan but I have only been a casual observer of junior hockey. 

I covered the Kelowna Rockets for a very short time in the early 2000s. “Poison Pen,” I think is what the owner called me once.

“Well, the team has been awful,” I told him, as one of the few people covering the team who wasn’t somehow paid by the team. “What else am I supposed to write?”

Times have changed. The Rockets have had plenty of success, Kamloops Blazers too. So many current and former NHL stars wore their jerseys.

Not that I saw them. I haven’t been to a game in at least 10 years. We haven’t covered the teams, or any hockey teams unless they made the news, for a few good reasons. There are more teams than I have staff and how do I interest an audience of dedicated fans who know before we do? 

That changed a little when the Penticton Vees joined the Western Hockey League with the Blazers and Rockets. We’ve been trying to keep casual fans abreast of the scene with weekly stories because I think the additional team makes it so much more compelling.

The Rockets and Blazers haven’t always been good at the same time, which stagnates the rivalry. Seeing the Vees step in and immediately challenge both established teams after dominating in lower leagues is fantastic.

Playoffs start soon, all three teams are in and the Rockets are hosting the Memorial Cup this year. 

As I mentioned earlier, WHL teams are traditionally a little insular and provincial in their communications. We feel them flinch when we try to touch these new tensions.

I think they should lean hard into these new rivalries, it’s made it so much more exciting — for all of them.

But maybe that’s just me, which is why I need to hear from you. It takes precious resources to cover this stuff and I need to know if you think it’s worth it. Email me at mjones@infonews.ca and tell me what you think.

Mj

Marshall Jones

Managing Editor

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Month until start of Tara Armstrong campaign

Regular readers of this newsletter will know we haven’t been shy about calling for the recall of Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong.

We’ve had a countdown timer for months already.

If you’re sick of this story, I have bad news for you. We will be covering this regularly over the next few months, just so we never have to write about her again.

The big day is just one month away now.

It’s an opportunity for us all to think about what we really expect from our representatives, what we will put up with. You might even apply that new yardstick to other politicians keen on pushing weird boundaries in our ridings. 

We’ll count down the reasons why many people believe she must be recalled as soon as possible. We’ll explain why we feel very comfortable, as a news organization with a bias to democracy and good government, in aiding, let alone a responsibility to, this effort.

I think the NDP and Conservatives should join the effort officially and for the same reasons. Numerous organizations and societies have stated their intention to help for their own reasons. 

Those needn’t be your reasons, you don’t have to agree with anyone about anything for this campaign, except that Tara Armstrong swindled her way into public office and must be removed.

Let’s do this. Email me at mjones@infonews.ca.

Mj

Marshall Jones

Managing Editor

* One more thing! I’m back from a week staycation in beautiful Osoyoos. It was surprisingly busy for this time of year, they tell me. Chatting with folks, it seemed we weren’t the only ones winter sun-finding in Canada. How lucky we are to live right here.

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iN RESPONSE

iN NUMBERS: How British Columbians feel about response to COVID-19 pandemic, six years later

Only 6% thought it was a hoax because the rest died of Covid-19.

— Bonnie Derry via iNFOnews.ca

How Okanagan, Kamloops post-secondary institutions are coping with fewer international students

Unfortunately this knee-jerk reaction is clearly not having a positive impact. Instead of working towards increasing housing and trying to attract more health care workers we are losing jobs and revenue in secondary education. We need to encourage foreign students as they are good for the economy. Especially if after getting their education they decide to stay.

— Bonnie Derry via iNFOnews.ca

iN RESPONSE to Monday’s newsletter opinion-editorial on the Tara Armstrong recall campaign

I’ve never seen such a strong, principled OpEd as this, certainly not locally/regionally. I agree with your message and look forward to future coverage!

— Doug Johnson, Vernon via email

Please stay on top of this story, I can’t wait to sign the petition.

— Daniel Moser via email

I am writing to address your apparent support for the recall of Tara Armstrong.

This position is inappropriate for a news organization. The fundamental responsibility of the media is to report facts accurately and objectively—not to advocate for specific political outcomes or attempt to influence public opinion.

When reporting shifts into opinion or persuasion, it ceases to be journalism. Statements framed with personal viewpoints, such as “I think,” have no place in objective reporting and only serve to undermine credibility and public trust.

There is a clear and important distinction between reporting the news and attempting to shape it. Crossing that line damages the integrity of your organization and contributes to the growing distrust many people have toward mainstream media.

If your intent is to influence public opinion, that belongs in opinion columns clearly labeled as such—or in the realm of politics—not in news reporting presented as objective coverage.

I strongly urge your organization to return to the core principles of unbiased journalism and focus on reporting facts without attempting to direct the audience’s conclusions.

— Shayne Brown via email

iN RESPONSE to newsletter opinion-editorial on Kamloops mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson

In response to your wanting someone else to comment on Kamloops council, I do sometimes think that
mayor Reid is a bit like president Trump in that they both seem to need attention more than most
people, so, like Tinkerbell, might they go away if no one pays attention?
I don’t mean anything mean to mayor Reid, but if I WERE dealing with him, I might try that.

— Jane Duber via email

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Tara Armstrong Recall Countdown

Tara Armstrong is currently the MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. She rode the coattails of the BC Conservative Party, got elected, then rejected and left the party to serve as an Independent within weeks because the Conservatives were too left wing. Now she gets to claim that her riding supports her.

Elections BC says you can recall an MLA if 40% of eligible voters in the riding sign a recall petition — but not for the first 18 months after an election. Some people started an online petition calling for a byelection once she made a shift to independent, then got herself a raise by forming her own party, but it won’t mean anything until the countdown clock hits zero.

So let the countdown begin!

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Disclaimer: Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed on this page are solely those of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the editor, iNFOnews.ca, iNFOTEL MULTIMEDIA, its partners, principals or advertisers.