Published 2:49 pm Friday, July 17, 2026
By Red Deer Advocate staff
The Better Business Bureau issues alert about a recent text message scam. (Black Press file photo)
The Better Business Bureau recently warned that some Albertans were receiving fake texts about Alberta Health identification.
“This is another phishing scam that every Albertan should be aware of,” said Mary O’Sullivan-Andersen, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), serving Alberta and East Kootenay, in a statement.
“The scammers are sending out texts claiming Albertans have to update their personal information because health cards issued before January 2023 are invalid. This is a scam.”
She said there are often clear indicators of phony texts.
“In this case it says it’s official communication from the government of Canada. Health is a provincial jurisdiction. Another indication is an email address attached to the text which is from a large private email provider. Delete this text – do not engage.”
To protect against fake text message scams, the BBB recommends:
• Don’t trust unsolicited messages.
• Watch out for suspicious links.
• Know that a personalized message doesn’t make the sender trustworthy.
• Look for spelling and grammar errors.
• If a website looks real, check again.
• Look up phone numbers before you call.
• If you spot a scam text, don’t reply.
• Keep your antivirus software up to date.
For more information visit www.bbb.org.

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