Yet another local senior has been scammed out of thousands of dollars in the so-called "Grandparent scam."
The Huron County Ontario Provincial Police say they were contacted by the victim on March 20, 2023. According to police, the victim said they had been scammed out of $40,000 by someone who claimed to be an RCMP officer.
"The victim explained to police that they had received a phone call from someone stating that they were an RCMP officer and had the victim's grandson in custody following a motor vehicle collision where drugs and a gun were seized," police said in a news release issued Thursday. "The scammer told the victim to send $8,000 in cash by courier to have their loved one released on bail. The victim complied, sending the money."
Later, the scammer contacted the victim again and say they needed another $32,000 to secure the release of the "grandson." The victim sent the money via wire transfer.
More calls came from the scammer, who said the matter was still before the courts. The victim realized they were being ripped off, and called police.
If you fall victim to a fraud or know someone who has, contact your local police service to report the crime and report it to the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or online on the Fraud Reporting System (FRS), even if a financial loss did not occur.
