Calgary seniors conned in grandchild in peril scam, suspect collects cash in person

The Calgary Police Service is attempting to identify a woman who collected cash from grandparents that they were told would assist their grandchildren who had been arrested. (CPS)

The Calgary Police Service is warning elderly Calgarians after at least three seniors were convinced to hand cash over to an unknown woman to help their grandchildren.

According to police, there have been multiple reports of a scam targeting grandparents under the guise of pretending to be a loved one in trouble.

While the phone call grift has been prevalent in recent years, one would-be thief has adopted the brazen approach of visiting the victim in person to collect the funds.

On Dec. 7, a 70-year-old man received a call from someone indicating they were his grandson who claimed they had been arrested and needed money for bail. The man told the victim that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a courier would stop by to pick up the cash.

A woman then visited the victim's house and collected an undisclosed amount of cash.

Surveillance image of a woman who allegedly collected cash from seniors at their homes under the guise of helping their grandchildren who faced legal troubles. (supplied: CPS)

Three days later, a 77-year-old woman and an 88-year-old woman were targeted in separate similar incidents where the same woman collected cash from them in-person to assist their arrested grandchildren.

The woman who collected the funds is described as:

• Approximately 160 centimetres (5'3") tall;
• Being in her early to mid-30s; and,
• Having straight, dyed black hair.

She was recorded by a surveillance camera during one of the incidents. She was wearing a distinctive two-tone jacket and is believed to be travelling in an older model Mercedes sedan with tinted windows.

Investigators are looking to identify a sedan, believed to be an older model Mercedes, in connection with a scam targeting Calgary seniors. (CPS)

Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to contact the Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234 or anonymous tips may be submitted to Crime Stoppers.

Police have released a list of tips to help protect seniors from scams and fraud.