Emergency Call 9-1-1
Non-Emergency Calls (902) 629-4172

Police Headquarters 10 Kirkwood Drive Charlottetown, P.E.I. C1A 2T3

Police Headquarters

10 Kirkwood Drive
Charlottetown, P.E.I.
C1A 2T3

Emergency

Call 9-1-1

Non-Emergency

Call (902) 629-4172

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