The RCMP is warning the public to be aware of a fundraising scam preying on the heartstrings of Canadians mourning the four Mounties who were slain in Alberta.

Some Canadians have received phone calls and emails from fraud artists soliciting donations for relatives of the officers, according to the RCMP.

"It is disturbing that at this time of national mourning there are individuals taking advantage of the situation for personal gain," said Chief Superintendent Wayne Watson, Director of the RCMP's Commercial Crime Branch in Ottawa said in a statement.

"As with any charity scam, we urge the public to ask questions and be vigilant."

There is no word on the amount of money that has been collected by the charity scam.

The list of approved and legitimate information on donations is provided only by the RCMP.

Those who feel they may have been caught in the scam are advised to call police or the PhoneBusters National Call Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

This is not the first time charity scams have cropped up following a public outpouring of sympathy.

In the wake of the Boxing day tsunami tragedy, Toronto police arrested a man who reportedly defrauded people by posing as a Red Cross worker and collecting donations.

Police said the man complemented his scam by providing contributors with phony tax receipts.

They also found bogus donation forms for a non-existent Christian organization that was supposedly collecting on behalf of the Red Cross organization.

In St. John's, Nfld. thieves ransacked the office of the Canadian Red Cross after the tsunami tragedy. They didn't find any money, but they left behind a big mess.

The trend was not limited to Canada. In Sweden, thieves ransacked the empty homes of victims who perished in the disaster, after searching for the names in the newspapers.

Experts recommend calling organizations to confirm if they are indeed soliciting funds, and sticking to charities with proven track records.