B.C. senior prepares to move due to devastating effects of fraud

A Courtenay, B.C., senior is downsizing and packing to move as she comes to accept she can no longer afford to stay in her home, after falling victim to a scam that robbed her of her life savings worth more than $100,000.

A Courtenay, B.C., senior is downsizing and packing to move as she comes to accept she can no longer afford to stay in her home, after falling victim to a scam that robbed her of her life savings worth more than $100,000.

“I have to get rid of some excess furniture because I won’t have the space,” says Peggy Christian. “We’re doing okay with it. I think it’ll be a good thing for me.”

The 76-year-old needs the win.

Christian went public with her story in February 2024 – claiming fraudsters told her they could fix her computer for $200. The scam progressed over months where she was paying with gift cards and withdrew her investments to send wire transfers abroad.

Since then, Christian and her family say her health continues to suffer.

“The trust that we may have had years ago for people is not there anymore,” says Christian.

“She hasn’t been sleeping, and very anxious, and some depression. It’s really hard to see this happen to my sister,” says Christian’s sister, Judy Huska.