Charlottetown Police Services is alerting the public after seeing a spike in reported grandparent scams. Since last week, Feb 29th, Police have responded to three separate complaints.
Grandparent scams target seniors. Here are the main commonalities:
- Contact is by phone and the scammer claims to be a grandchild or claims to be law enforcement of some sort and advises that your grandchild is in custody for a crime, or has been involved in an accident.
- The scammer may know some personal information about you and the grandchild, or may be using a script that relies on responses to fill in the blanks.
- To make the story seem more credible, the scammer might put someone else on the phone to act like a police officer, bail bondsman or lawyer.
- The scammer goes on to pressure you for money needed for bail or medical expenses.
- In most cases, the scammer will instruct you to attend your financial institution and withdraw cash and send it to an address via a shipping company. In some cases, depending on where the victim lives, they may even send someone to collect the money at your home.
- In every case, the scammer warns the victim to not tell anyone about the payment as it affect the grandchild’s outcome.
Don’t be a victim:
- Trust your instinct, just hang up.
- If you are concerned, call a family member after to verify the claims or call the Police.
- Scammers use high-pressure tactics, this is a good indicator that it’s a scam.
- Children/family members are encouraged to educate their older parents/grandparents about this type of scam.
What to do after the call:
- Report the fraud to your local Police
- Report the fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre via their website or by calling 1888-495-8501.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is a good resource to get more information on various frauds and preventative tips. https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm