NEWS RELEASE
SOUTH SIMCOE POLICE SERVICE
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A 74-year-old Innisfil man foiled an attempt to con his grandparents when he called the police instead of handing over cash.
The man received a call from an unknown person who said his nephew was in jail and needed $10,000 in bail money. The senior became suspicious and contacted the police.
March is Fraud Prevention Month and this type of fraud continues to circulate in our communities. Emergency or eldercare scams take advantage of your fear that a loved one is hurt or in trouble. Typically, scammers will claim to be law enforcement officials, lawyers, or impersonate your grandchild/family member. They use urgency and threats to tap into your emotions to get you to act immediately. They claim there is a “gag order” in place preventing you from telling anyone about the situation. If you agree to pay the requested amount, the scammers will collect the funds in person or ask you to send cash by mail.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Center offers the following tips on how to protect yourself:
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 the phone number provided by the alleged scammer. If the caller claims to be an official police officer, hang up and call your local police directly, using a phone number from a reputable source, not provided by the alleged scammer. Be wary of phone calls that force you to act immediately and ask for money for a family member in need. listen to it inner voice screaming at you: “This doesn’t sound right” It’s important to know that the Canadian criminal justice system does not allow someone to be bailed out of prison with cash or cryptocurrency Be careful what you post online: scammers can get details you’ve 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 hide the real number they are calling from and can make it appear as a trusted phone number, also known as spoofing
Always report fraud and attempted fraud to the police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center a www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm. Keep in mind that these types of scams can target anyone, not just seniors or grandparents. The South Simcoe Police Service encourages residents to talk to family members about this type of scam.
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