BATTLEFORDS – The RCMP are alerting the public after Battlefords RCMP received multiple reports of “emergency” or “grandparent” scams on Jan. 9.
Police said in the news release that this is a scam in which callers create a fake emergency and then arrange for someone to collect cash from the victim in person.
This scam is often called an “emergency” scam or “grandparent” scam. In some instances, the caller claims the victim’s grandchild has been involved in a collision and will be placed in jail unless the victim pays them a set amount of money. In other instances, victims are told their grandchild is already in custody, and a sum of money must be paid for their bail. These calls are not from a trusted source – they are a scam.
The investigation has determined scammers are primarily targeting elderly people. The scammers may use the real name of a victim’s loved one to make the scam more believable. If you receive a similar phone call, hang up immediately. Do not provide any information to the caller or follow through with their request.
What to do:
- Trust your gut! Ask yourself: Could this be a scam? Are the details ‘off’ or circumstances strange?
- Do not offer any money or personal information until you confirm story details with your family first. Hang up and call your family at a number you know is theirs to verify information.
- Requests for payment in gift cards, a wire transfer, cryptocurrency or some other payment can indicate suspicious activity. Never provide your credit card number to the caller. Speak to your bank in person before making large withdrawals.
If you believe you are a victim of this type of fraud, report it to your local police by calling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
More tips and information is available here: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/protect-protegez-eng.htm
More information
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has information about how you can protect yourself from scams and fraud, features and variations of fraud, and more online: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
