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Regina Police Service (RPS) said on Friday that officers have seen an increase in fraudsters using what is known as a “emergency scam” to target seniors.
RPS said in a news release that the scam preys on the fear of a loved one being hurt or in trouble, with fraudsters claiming to be someone people know and saying they need money immediately.
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Police said people should never mail cash, send an e-transfer, gift cards, pre-paid credit cards, or cryptocurrency to someone who has called claiming there is an emergency and if anyone wants to collect the money in person, people should call police at 306-777-6500 immediately. As well, police will never pick up bond money, RPS said.
Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) warned earlier this week that fraudsters are once again using the “grandparent scam” to target residents, but the scam can appear in any city or town in Saskatchewan at any time.
The scheme, also known as the “family scam”, involves a call to a usually elderly victim.
The scammer will pretend to be a relative who is in trouble and in urgent need of financial help. The scammers will occasionally imitate a police officer, doctor or lawyer to help drive home a false sense of urgency before asking for payment, often in the form of untraceable cryptocurrency or gift cards.
SPS said in a news release on Monday that they had received reports of fraudsters attempting to target victims in the city recently, and while there have not yet been reports the recent scam has been successful, it has been in the past.
Police said although fraudsters had gone to the homes of victims in the past, recently potential victims had been contacted by phone by someone claiming to be a grandchild in an emergency as a result of a traffic collision or drug possession. Payment is then demanded in cash or cryptocurrency for bail and legal fees.
Police said the fraudsters are also telling the potential victims to lie to their financial institution to withdraw the funds they are demanding, and in some cases falsely saying that a gag order is in place preventing them discussing the matter with anyone.
If people receive a suspicious phone call, ask important questions to verify the caller’s identity but don’t offer additional details.
People can also hang up and call the family member directly to verify their location and well-being and talk to other relatives.
If the caller is claiming to be law enforcement or a representative of another profession, hang up and call that authority directly to verify the information.
SPS said fraudsters leverage urgency and panic to coerce the victim into complying with their requests and demands.
Police are also encouraging everyone to openly discuss the scam to prevent more victims.
Anyone who’s been a victim of a scam should report it to police. Any suspect scams can be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
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