North Bay Police has received multiple reports of grandparent scams, in which scammers call elderly individuals claiming to need money to help the victim’s grandchild. The emergency can vary, but in most of these incidents the scammers claim the victim’s grandchild has been arrested and needs money for bail. The scammers may pose as the grandchild or as law enforcement officials. The reported incidents are being investigated.
Scammers may contact victims either over the phone, by text, e-mail, or over social media. In many instances, scammers will pick up the money in person, but they may also request that it be sent online or by mail.
This scam has been happening all over Canada. Last month in Prince Edward Island, a man and woman were charged in relation to a grandparent scam. Police were contacted by a man who said his grandmother had been phoned by someone claiming to be a bail bondsman. The elderly woman was told her grandson had been in a car accident involving a pregnant woman, and $5,000 was needed to get him out of jail. The caller told her to go to the bank and take out the money, after which someone would visit to collect it. When the man arrived to pick up the money, he was met by police and arrested. The man and woman have been charged with fraud under $5,000 and fraud over $5,000 relating to that incident and a second incident that was reported to police later that day.
No law enforcement agency will threaten you to pay bail for someone; they will never request that bail be paid in cash or with cryptocurrency nor pick up bail funds from your home or accept them through online transfer. There is no such thing as a “gag order” that prevents you from telling another person that someone has been arrested and charged.
Red Flags
Scammers are adaptable and talented at changing their methods in order to defraud victims, but a few things to look out for in order to protect yourself from these types of frauds include:
- Scammers will use urgency and threats to convince you to take out money
- Scammers will claim that there is a “gag order” preventing you from speaking about the situation
- If you agree to pay the requested amount (cash or cryptocurrency), fraudsters will arrange to pick up the funds in person or will ask you to send cash in the mail
Tips
Remember to follow these tips provided by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to help protect yourself against grandparent scams:
- If you receive a phone call claiming to be from a family member in an emergency situation, hang up the phone and contact them directly using a phone number you already have – not one provided by the suspected fraudster.
- If the caller claims to be a law enforcement official, hang up and call your local police directly, using a phone number from a reputable source – not one provided by the suspected fraudster
- Be suspicious of telephone calls that require you to immediately act and request money for a family member in distress
- Listen to that inner voice that is screaming at you “This doesn’t sound right”
- It is important to know the Canadian Criminal Justice System does not allow for someone to be bailed out of jail with cash or cryptocurrency
- Be careful what you post online
- Scammers can get details that you shared on social media platforms and dating sites to target you or get names and details about your loved ones
- Don’t trust caller ID names and numbers.
- Scammers use technology to disguise the actual number they are calling from and can make it appear as a trusted phone number, also known as spoofing
How to Report
The North Bay Police Service encourages anyone who has been defrauded to contact police at 705-497-5555 and press 5 to speak with an officer. You can also contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or report a fraud online at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
How to submit a tip
Anyone with information that may assist police with ongoing fraud investigations is asked to call the North Bay Police Service at 705-497-5555 and press 5 to speak with an officer. For those who wish to remain anonymous, contact Near North Crime Stoppers, by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or by submitting a tip online at nearnorthcrimestoppers.com.
