Clearview woman loses $22,000 in 'The Grandparent Scam'
Provincial police say scammers are targetting seniors for thousands of dollars in what the OPP calls 'The Grandparent Scam.'
Huronia West OPP says one victim in Clearview Township was conned out of $22,000 when a call from someone claiming to be an RCMP officer advised her that her grandson was under arrest and needed money to be released.
The woman immediately agreed to do whatever she could to help her beloved grandson.
At first, police say the caller said it would take $10,000 to secure the man's release. The next morning, the caller informed the woman another $12,000 was needed for her grandson's freedom.
Police say that arrangements were made for someone to pick up the money at the woman's address in both instances.
According to provincial police, officers will never ask someone for money over the phone to have someone released from custody.
They say it's best to hang up on the caller and contact the police to report the situation.
Related Article: Police warn of 'Grandparent Scheme' targeting elderly women in Ontario
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FRAUD
Financial crimes involving seniors are especially cruel because they don't have the means to make up for their losses. Police say it's nearly impossible to recover money in these cases.
Here are some tips to protect yourself:
- Ask questions. Scammers rely on a quick response to having someone involved in an emergency and wouldn't typically know personal information.
- Call someone. Take the time to double-check the information by calling the parents, friends and family. Scammers often try to isolate their victim by saying action needs to happen immediately. Note this as a red flag.
- Never send money. Don't send money, gift cards, bitcoins, or provide credit card information to anyone you don't know and trust.
- Never provide personal information. Don't offer any information about yourself, including your address, banking information or family details.
- If in doubt, hang up. Call the organization through a publicly listed number to verify the request or contact your local police service for support.
Report fraud online or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
The investigation is ongoing in this case. Police ask anyone with information to contact the Huronia West OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.