The RCMP, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and Ontario Provincial Police have launched a fraud prevention campaign this month to raise awareness of a significant increase in emergency-grandparent scams targeting Canadian seniors.
Emergency scams, also referred to as “grandparent scams”, use a sense of urgency. This is to manipulate a person’s emotions in extorting money from victims.
In these scams, scammers/fraudsters follow a very standard format which looks like:
- Scammers will impersonate either a loved one or an enforcer of the rules to trick an individual
- They claim there is an emergency or an action that requires immediate attention
- They demand payment that would stop the action from occurring. They will demand cash or cryptocurrency.
- They try isolate the individual with threats or more legal action.
- They demand to know individuals home address
Scenario:
Jane receives a phone call saying her grandson is in prison for a crime. The scammer tells her she needs to take out $3,000 in cash to bail him out. The scammer creates a sense of urgency to ensure that Jane ignores her regular checks and balances. They also tell Jane that she can not talk to anyone about this or she will be arrested. The scammer tries to get Jane to tell them her address to have an ‘officer’ can pick it up.
Important Tips to know to deter fraud:
- If you get a call claiming to be a loved one in trouble, or a police officer saying they have arrested your loved one, and “need money” – hang up the phone!
- Call your loved one using the contact info you have provided to inform them that their info is being used in a scam.
- Be suspicious of calls that ask you to immediately act and send money.
- Do not meet up or give anyone your address to collect money from you.
- The Canadian Criminal Justice System does not let you pay bail with cash, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
For more information on Frauds and Scams, please visit the Canada Anti-Fraud Center. You may also report any fraud to the CAFC online, through contacting your local RCMP detachment, or by contacting the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501.
If you know a senior or have an elderly family member, please reach out to them and have a conversation on what to do if they get a phone call like this and consider coming up with a code word.
If you believe you have been a victim of a fraud or scam, or have questions about a situation you have encountered, please contact your Branch or call 250-612-3456 or 1-866-758-5678 immediately.
To learn more about privacy and how to your protect yourself, visit our web page here.
