One arrest made in ‘grandparent scheme’ in southern Alberta

Grandparent scams often involve the fraudster phoning a senior and either pretending to be a loved one or a police officer, judge or family member.

They will claim to be in some kind of trouble with law enforcement or the courts, and that they need help to make a payment.

Suspects will usually ask for cash, but they have been known to request payment in the form of gift cards, bitcoin or e-transfers.

Some tips provided by the RCMP include:

Bail is always paid in person at a courthouse or correctional center
Never send money to anyone you don’t know
If a person claims to be a police officer or judge, call that police service or court house directly to confirm the situation – police and courts will never demand cash be picked up in person or mailed
Never give out personal information over the phone or online to someone you don’t know—the police or courts will not ask for personal information over the phone.

Anyone who has fallen victim to this or any other scam is asked to phone their local RCMP or police service, as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

by David Opinko

One arrest made in ‘grandparent scheme’ in southern Alberta

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