“Get back to me on my division number, that is 613-7030-109 I read again 613-7030-109. If I do not hear a call from you we will have to issue an arrest warrant under your name and get you arrested so get back to me as soon as possible. Thank you.”
Have you too have received this phone message? Not a whiff of French (“Where are you when we need you, Office de la langue française?”, exclaims John.) The strident robot voice has a generic English accent. Only small telltale signs suggest a foreign origin: “on my division number” rather than “at”; grouping the phone number with 3 digits, 4 and then 3; the phrases “I read again” and “hear a call”.
And the absurdity of an anonymous threat of arrest. Who might be genuinely afraid? Only, maybe, someone who has lived in a police state, whose first language is not English, or whose mental state is a bit clouded.
Lesson in scam management: Don’t call back. That would tell the scammer you exist, and are an easy target. I know someone who called back. The scammer said he owed thousands in back taxes and would be arrested if he didn’t pay right now. When he said he had no money, the scammer asked for his “tax identification number.” That’s your SIN, and it would be a sin to give it to someone aiming to steal your identity.
On internet-based Canada411, I did a “reverse number lookup” and learned my scammer’s number had been looked up 450 times and was owned by Iristel Inc. based in Toronto. I filled out a short report that this number was being used by a scammer. Then I googled Iristel Inc., where I found a whole blog on “Putting a Stop to Phone Scammers” that says “Many phone numbers used by scammers have been assigned to them by a third-party. These third-parties purchase the numbers from resellers, who purchase the numbers from wholesalers, like Iristel.”
In other words, my scammer could be from anywhere in the world, safe from both the OLF and the police. And I am safe from the scammer if I just hang up and check them out on Canada411.
GIGANTIC SALE AT TRINITY
The Gigantic Garage Sale at the Trinity United Church continues on Saturday, October 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A Bag Sale is on Sunday, October 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Fill a bag with items of your choice for $5. The church is located at 190 Principale, Ouest, Cookshire-Eaton. Canteen on premises.
NEED TO KNOW
What You Need to Know about Cancer is the topic of the next Health Link presentation, with a special speaker, Hélène Marceau, Pivot Nurse for gynecological cancers. A new estimate says that one of every two people will develop cancer in their lifetime, but what does this really mean? Information about resources available locally will be available, including persons who can answer questions in English.
The session is on Wednesday, October 17, 11:30 a.m. for lunch (with reservation; $5 donation requested) or 1 p.m. for the presentation, at the Armoury Community Centre, 563 Main Street in Bury. To reserve, please call Kim Fessenden by October 15 at 819-872-3771, ext. 2.
STORIES OF ILLUMINATION
The Townships Tellers are to present an evening of stories based upon the theme Lighting the Dark…Stories of Hope, Courage and Illumination, on Thursday, October 18, at 7 p.m., at the Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre, 9 Speid, Lennoxville. Storytellers include two well-known members from this area – Ann Rothfels and Shirley Nortcliffe, as well as Michel Thibault and Heather Davis of Sherbrooke, and Selina Eisenberg of the Montreal Guild of Storytellers. Refreshments. Donations accepted for the support of Uplands. Info: Ann Rothfels, 819-875-5428.
MUSIC AT THE MUSEUM
Music for a Fall Afternoon is a performance on Sunday, October 21, at 2 p.m. at the Foss House of the Eaton Corner Museum, 374 Route 253, Eaton Corner. Musicians Jude Cloutier, Benoit Héguey and Dave Gillies will share the bill with Crooked Pine (Janice LaDuke and Dave Gillies), performing music by Georges Brassens, Harmonium, Félix Leclerc, some jazz standards, folk ballads, and some original compositions. The performance is a benefit for the Museum. Admission: $10. Seating is limited. To reserve, please contact Elaine at 819-563-8700 or info@eatoncorner.ca.
TRANSPORTATION IN HISTORY
The Bury Historical and Heritage Society and the Eaton Corner Museum are planning a public conference on the History of Transportation in the Haut-Saint-Francois in December. Do you have any information, artefacts, photographs, maps or documents concerning historical transportation modes of interest to conference attendees? If so, please contact John Mackley at 819-578-2301 or iones.unaean@gmail.com.
CARDS IN BULWER
Two 500 Card Parties are to be at the Bulwer Community Center, 254 Jordan Hill Road, on Thursdays, October 4 and 18, at 1:30 p.m. Admission: $6 for cards, lunch, and prizes.
COLOUR CAFÉS IN BURY & COOKSHIRE
Three Colour Cafés: Friday, October 5, at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre (CLC), 523 Stokes, Bury. Wednesday, October 10, at 2 – 4 p.m., at La Passerelle Women’s Centre, 275 Main, Cookshire-Eaton. Then Wednesday, October 31, at 2 – 4 p.m., at the John-Henry-Pope Cultural Centre, 25 Principale West, Cookshire-Eaton. Info: Townshippers’ Association at 819-566-5717 or ml@townshippers.org.
CHURCH SERVICES
Anglican. On October 7, Sunday worship services are at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church in Bury, and at 11 a.m. in the theatre at the Manoir de l’Eau Vive, 210 Principale E. in Cookshire-Eaton. On October 14, no services are offered locally, but all are invited to the Trinity United Church in Cookshire for a Gospel Memorial Hymn Sing at 10:30 a.m. Info: 819-887-6802.
United. On September 30, Sunday worship services with communion are at Trinity United, Cookshire, at 9:30 a.m. and at Sawyerville United at 11 a.m. On October 14 is an In-Memorial Hymn Sing at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity United, Cookshire, followed by refreshments. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).
Baptist. In Sawyerville, the Sunday worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@yahoo.com by October 8 for publication October 17 and by October 22 for October 31.