SASKATOON — A Quebec man arrested last week in Regina is now facing charges in Saskatoon in connection to a grandparent scam.
Between Nov. 24 and 27, Saskatoon Police Service received five reports of victims being defrauded of more than $45,000. Police say a caller claimed to be a grandson who had been in a vehicle collision and needed money to get out of jail. Another person would then pick up the cash from victim’s home. In each case the victims provided between $5,000 and $26,000, say police.
On Dec. 2, the Regina Police Service arrested two people from Quebec following similar reports in Regina and White Butte. Police there say victims were defrauded in excess of $40,000.
Approximately $20,000 of the stolen money has been recovered, according to Regina police.
Ciprian Tedo, 50, and Alexandra Condurache, 40, of Quebec, are jointly charged with multiple fraud offences in Regina.
Todor is also facing Saskatoon charges of fraud over $5,000, fraud under $5,000, and breach of court conditions. He is expected to face these charges in Regina Provincial Court.
Regina police say the investigation is ongoing and they believe there are more victims.
Grandparent Scams have become common in Canada. If you are the recipient of a suspicious phone call, ask important questions of the caller to verify their identity but refrain from offering additional details yourself. Alternatively, hang up and call that family member directly to verify their location and well-being and/or connect with other relatives to fact check the call. If the caller is claiming to be law enforcement or a representative of another profession, hang up and call that authority directly to verify the information. Fraudsters leverage urgency and panic to coerce the victim into complying with their requests and demands. Always use extreme caution, especially when being asked to send any form of currency.
Police are encouraging families and friend groups that consist of older and/or vulnerable adults to openly discuss the Family/Grandparent Emergency Scam to prevent continued victimization in the community. If you or a loved one have received a suspicious call and suspect fraud but have not been victimized, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. If you have become the victim of fraud, contact your local police or report it to the Saskatoon Police Service by calling 306-975-8300; in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
