Over the month of May, 2022, older residents from East Region have been targeted by fraudsters using the “Grandparent’s scam”. Seven local community members have filed reports just this week with the Grenville County Ontario Province Police (OPP). All were asked to urgently send money to assist a family member. The amount requested was just under $10,000. If the victims do not have access to a vehicle, the scammers offered to send a cab to collect the funds at their homes.
If you have older family members, please speak to them about this and advise them to always call and check with family first, or call the police if they have concerns.
Below are some of the warning signs:
Urgency– The scammer always makes the request sound very urgent, which may cause the victim to not verify the story.
Fear– The scammer plays on the victim’s emotions by generating a sense of fear. For instance, they may say, “I am scared and I need help from you.”
Secrecy– The scammer pleads with the victim not to tell anyone about the situation, such as, “Please don’t tell Dad, he would be so mad.”
Request for Money — Money can be requested by money transfer, or, in some cases, the scammer sends someone to your home to pick up the payment.
If you or someone you know have been the victim of a scam, contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or report the information to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
FRAUD…Recognize it…Report it…Stop it.
