Members of the Huntsville and Bracebridge Detachments of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating multiple grandparent scams in the Muskoka area.
OPP is warning residents of an increase in reports of emergency/grandparent scams. Scammers are targeting seniors by playing upon their emotions and fear of a loved one being in police custody.
On April 11th, 2023, grandparents in the Town of Bracebridge received a phone call from someone posing as their grandson stating he was in police custody and required $10,000 to be released.
On April 12th, 2023, a grandmother in the Town of Huntsville received a similar call stating their grandson required $5000 to be released.
In both cases, victims spoke to someone they believed to be a police officer and were instructed to attend their bank and withdraw cash. A male would then attend their residence and pick up the cash. In the Huntsville incident, the male was described as white, 5’10”, with dark hair, and wearing a blue surgical mask. It is believed the male was dropped off or had a vehicle parked nearby. The victim did not observe a vehicle parked in front of their home.
In the typical emergency/grandparent scam, the victim will receive a frantic phone call from someone claiming to be a grandchild or loved one. The caller will explain that they are involved in some sort of mishap like a car accident, in police custody, or are having trouble returning from a foreign country and need money right away. The scammer will often insist that the victim not tell anyone. The call could also involve someone claiming to be a law enforcement official, lawyer, or bailiff.
Be aware of some warning signs:
- Urgency: The scammer always makes the request sound very urgent, which may cause the victim to not verify the story.
- Fear: The scammer plays on the victim’s emotions by generating a sense of fear. For instance, they may say, “I am scared, and I need help from you.”
- Secrecy: The scammer pleads with the victim not to tell anyone about the situation, such as “Please don’t tell Dad, he would be so mad.”
- Request for Money: Money can be requested by money transfer or in some cases the scammer sends someone to your home to pick up the payment.
To avoid becoming a victim, check with another family member or trusted friend to verify the information before sending money or providing credit card information by phone or email.
Police are asking the public to talk to their parents, grandparents, and neighbours about this scam and what to do if they’re called. Police are suggesting that if you receive a call like this, hang up the phone and contact family members.
If you or someone you know may have been the victim of an emergency or grandparent scam or any other scam, report it to the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at antifraud centre-centreantifraude.ca.
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Well John Oliver, count yourself lucky that you still have sufficient of your faculties to not be fooled. Not everybody still does. These predators prey on people who don’t. Who knows how many hundreds of people they try before they find a victim they can fool.
Since we can’t predict the future, your time may be coming yet.
When AI is used to replicate a person’s voice and you are not aware of this as a possibility, I have no doubt decisions are made from fear and emotion. I have no doubt anyone who falls prey to these scams already feels awful enough.
I just don’t understand how anyone can be foolish enough to fall for these scams. What has happened to common sense and logic. I feel sorry, but…