Winnipeg police warn of 'new twist' on scam targeting grandparents
A new twist on a scam targeting grandparents has Winnipeg police warning the public to be alert and trust their gut when answering the phone.
It starts with a panicked call to an elderly person. The voice on the line claims to be a grandchild or a family member who has landed in serious legal trouble, is in jail and needs money immediately. They may be crying, pleading for help, demanding that you send bail money, but the voice is not who you think it is – police warn it's a scammer.
Winnipeg police call it the 'Grandparent Scam'.
"This is a scam that just keeps rearing its head. It keeps coming back," said Const. Jay Murray, a public information officer with the Winnipeg Police Service. "Our investigators have noticed that there's been an increase recently."
A NEW TWIST
Murray said there is a 'new twist' to the scam – the scammers will use in-person couriers to physically get the money from the elderly victims.
He said the victims are told to go to the bank and withdraw money from their bank, telling the bank it is for home repairs, and then return home.
"Under the guise of a bail bonds person or something to that effect, a person will physically come to the house and pick up that cash," he said. "Previously, it was a lot different. It was more remote. But now having people physically come to the house is something new."
Murray said typically the initial caller operates outside the province, or even the continent – but this latest spin on the scam has given police an investigative opportunity.
"Sometimes these individuals have cameras on their house or a doorbell camera. So having people come to the house certainly changes the way we investigate this and it can be beneficial in some ways," he said. "We have made arrests of couriers in the past, we continue to investigate it."
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
Murray said investigators have noted more and more people are catching on about these scams and are reporting them. However police are concerned there are people who don't report the scam if they have fallen victim to it.
He said the fact that scammers are still hitting Winnipeg residents means the scam is still working.
"One of the best ways that we can combat this scam is just awareness," he said.
Police said officers and the courts will never send someone to your house to collect money, and will never tell you to lie to your bank about withdrawing money.
"We really ask people just to trust their guts when it comes to answering calls," Murray said. "Take a moment and really just assess the situation. There's nothing wrong with hanging up and calling somebody who's maybe related to that family member."
Police are urging people to share the information with elderly relatives so they are aware and can be prepared if they get this kind of call.
Anyone who receives a 'Grandparent Scam' call should contact police immediately.
More information about the scam can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.