Winnipeg police arrest two women from Ontario in connection to grandparent scam
Winnipeg police have arrested and charged two women from Ontario in connection to grandparent scams in the city.
On July 28, police issued a warning to the public noting there had been a spike in grandparent scams – a scheme that tries to get money from elderly people by tricking them into thinking their grandchild is in legal trouble.
Police reported there had been 15 reports of the scam over six days, resulting in losses of about $100,000.
On Friday, police said investigators had identified two women who were believed to be involved, and on July 29, police arrested the women in the 1100 block of Sommerville Avenue.
Police also executed a search warrant at a home in the area and found evidence linking the women to the scam.
Police said the women defrauded nine seniors over 10 days for nearly $100,000.
Vanessa Fatima Alves Dasilva, 18, from North York, Ont. has been charged with six counts of fraud over $5,000, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000, forgery and using a forged document.
Gabriella Edith Marie Paradis, 25, from Walpole Island, Ont. has been charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Police said the women and the victims were not known to each other. Police continue to investigate.
None of the charges have been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.