THUNDER BAY — Police in Thunder Bay are again warning the community that the “grandparent scam” continues to target local residents.
In a media release issued on Friday, police said they received a report that a fraudster attempted to convince a senior citizen that a member of the citizen’s family had been in an accident, was arrested for impaired driving and required money for bail.
According to police, however, the resident wasn’t victimized as they cancelled their credit card and alerted their bank before the scammers accessed any money.
City police are asking family and friends to speak with those they feel could be vulnerable to such a scam.
“Police advise community members contacted by a suspected scammer to remember that the best way to avoid being victimized is to hang up the phone, then attempt to reach the family member alleged to be in trouble to verify the story,” the press release stated.
“The fraudster may attempt to dissuade a victim from doing this by claiming the money is required immediately. This is a common tactic to prevent victims from practicing due diligence and should be viewed as strong evidence that a scam is taking place.”
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre notes that, despite its name, the so-called “grandparent scam” can ultimately target anyone, not just seniors. The centre also added that scammers may use a variety of other tactics, including:
- Claiming to be law enforcement officials, lawyers or they may impersonate the grandchild or family member;
- Using threats to convince people to take out money;
- Claiming that there is a gag order that prevents anyone from speaking about the situation;
- Arranging for the funds to be picked up in person, or requesting the payment of cash or cryptocurrency.
Thunder Bay police also encouraged people to consult the anti-fraud centre’s website for more information.
