The Nova Scotia RCMP is warning the public about “grandparent scams” targeting senior citizens.
In a release, police say they have received numerous fraud complaints since last year, where victims were contacted “in a perceived urgent situation and instructed to provide money to alleviate a bad circumstance of a loved one.” The fake bad circumstance can include a car accident or legal issues.
Examples include the loved one supposedly being in jail or a car accident. While the scam was previously targeted in the Halifax area earlier this year, it is now being seen in rural parts of Nova Scotia.
One recent example includes a senior couple in the Pictou area who lost $22,500 to fraudsters over the course of three days.
“The victim was instructed to withdraw cash from their bank and once completed a ‘courier’ or ‘bondsman’ would come by their residence and retrieve the cash,” the release said.
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The RCMP noted that despite fraudsters being “good at what they do” and “believable,” authorities in Canada do not solicit the release of someone for money.
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Police issued the following advice for people to protect themselves against fraud:
Slow down and review the situation with other relatives or loved ones;Never offer information to callers;Ask the caller personal questions that only an actual family member or loved one would know;Attempt to contact the family member in question;Refuse to send money in “urgent situations;”Contact the represented authority through a legitimate source, rather than the contact information provided by the caller;Stop communicating with the caller if they have a feeling that something is not right.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of a scam should contact police at 902-490-5020 and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
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