The Prince George RCMP are warning people, especially senior citizens, to be cautious of a persistent type of fraud dubbed the Grandparent Scam.
Police say the scam typically targets elders – the caller poses as a young relative who has gotten themselves into trouble and has been arrested.
Then the call is transferred to a second person who poses as a lawyer, who explains the relative will need to post bail between $5,000 and $10,000.
“We are cautioning people to be wary of this scam as it seems so real. Before you transfer any money to a “lawyer” or “bail bondsman”, we ask that you stop and make enquiries with your relatives to verify if the information is true,” Cpl. Jennifer Cooper said.
She added some scammers have used AI to try and create a more convincing voice for the “relatives” making the scam call.
If you do receive a call like this, police advise directly reaching out to the family member that is supposedly in jail.
They are asking for these kinds of calls to be reported to their non-emergency line and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Cooper noted the scam is sometimes attempted by people locally, but is more often someone well outside the city.
Grandparent scam on the rise (again!) https://t.co/OpbFAJAq42 pic.twitter.com/l6P4SswyU2
— Prince George RCMP (@PG_RCMP) May 8, 2024
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