Over the weekend, 705BLACKFLY.COM reported that Huntsville OPP are looking for an individual who is believed to have swindled two seniors out of $11, 000. This morning, North Bay Police issued a statement that they are now looking for the same suspect in connection with a grandparent scam in that area.
On February 20, 2025, the suspect attended an apartment building in the 100-block of Hughes Road, North Bay, where a victim was defrauded of several thousand dollars.
On February 20, 2025, the suspect attended a residence in the 0-100-block of Farley Ave, North Bay, and defrauded a victim of several thousand dollars.
On February 21, 2025, the suspect attended a residence in the 200-block of Orange Crescent, North Bay, and defrauded a victim of several thousand dollars.
Last week, Huntsville OPP alerted residents about grandparent scams after an elderly female was defrauded of $5, 000 cash by a suspect posing as bailiff who needed the money to release her grandson from jail. The second report was from an elderly female giving $6, 000 to a caller posing as her grandson and called taxi to pick her up to attend bank to withdraw cash.
North Bay Police say the suspect in the Huntsville incidents matches the description of the grandparent scam they are investigating. She’s described as a female with dark hair wearing dark clothing. She reportedly poses as a Bailiff or law enforcement agency member. Anyone with information that can lead to the identification or location of the suspect, including security camera footage or dash camera footage from the areas where the incident occurred from the day of the incident, is asked to contact the North Bay Police Service at 705-497-5555 and press 5 to speak with an officer. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Near North Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.nearnorthcrimestoppers.com
Seniors are particularly susceptible to scams, so please speak to your elderly family and neighbours about this story. 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
o 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.
o 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
If you missed our earlier story, you can read it here.
