Scammers have stolen more than $37M in Edmonton this year. Here's how

From text messages to phone calls and in-person interactions, scam artists are trying to con you out of your money.

From text messages to phone calls and in-person interactions, scam artists are trying to con you out of your money.

Police data shows Edmontonians have been bilked out of tens of millions in the first eight months of the year.

Julie Matthews, a fraud prevention educator, knows all too well what kinds of scams are out to get people.

"There are new scams out there every single day and they're getting more and more clever all the time," she said. "Unfortunately, people are falling for them and losing a lot of money."

She travels across Alberta hosting seminars, including many at seniors centres.

"I think seniors are the one group that really knows that they're at risk and they're so great about reaching out for help," Matthews said. "So presentations like this, the seniors are happy to come. They want to learn."

But technology is making it easier for scammers to target folks of all ages.