Lethbridge seniors targeted by scammers, police say
An increasing number of Lethbridge seniors are being targeted by scammers and police are warning the public to take precautions.
Officials say over the past week, they've had reports from three residents whose losses to scammers total more than $26,000.
The emergency scam or grandparent scam usually involves a situation where fraudsters contact victims over the phone, pretending to be a family member – usually a grandchild – and say they are in trouble and need money.
"The caller may also pretend to be a police officer or lawyer acting on the grandchild's behalf," police said in a release. "They will ask for cash and then send an associate, posing as a police officer, bail bondsman or some other official, to collect the money. They may also seek payment in the form of gift cards, bitcoin or e-transfer."
Lethbridge police say it's also believed that a single group of individuals may be responsible.
"There are currently active investigations throughout Alberta involving a group who has defrauded victims in multiple jurisdictions using this scam."
Officials also say the same story has been used on all of the Lethbridge cases – that their loved one was involved in a crash, had been arrested and needed money to pay for bail.
In order to prevent further scams, Lethbridge police encourage residents to speak with their elderly relatives.
They suggest:
- Always verifying the identity of anyone who calls them to make sure they know who they're speaking to and if what they're saying is the truth;
- If the caller claims to be with law enforcement or employed by the court, hang up and call the police station or courthouse directly for accurate information;
- Never using any phone numbers provided by the scammers to verify information;
- Never giving money, gift cards or any form of payment to anyone you don't know; and
- Never sharing any personal information over the phone with anyone you don't know.
Police also want residents to understand that bail money is always paid in person at the police station, courthouse or correctional facility.
"Police and court officials will never attend someone's home to pick up cash."
Anyone who believes they've been scammed is encouraged to come forward and speak to police by calling 403-328-4444.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.