Lambton OPP say a local resident is out $25,000 after being victimized by a telephone scam.
Police said the scammers posed as RCMP officers, and demanded bail money for the victim's grandson who they said was arrested for drug offences.
The victim initially sent $10,000 and another $15,000 three days later via courier.
Police said the scam appears to target the elderly, using an emergency-based scenario of family members in distress needing funds.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
OPP are asking residents to be leery and aware of the following signs of a scam:
- 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." Verify the identity of the person by asking a question they would not know the answer to.
- Secrecy -- The scammer pleads with the victim not to tell anyone about the situation, such as, "Please don't tell Dad or Mom, they would be so mad." Regardless of the emergency, call another family member to confirm the story.
- Request for Money Transfer or Gift Cards -- Money is usually requested to be sent by a money transfer company to the criminals, but gift cards are now the more frequently used, easy-to-liquidate alternative to cash.
March is Fraud Prevention Month.
