‘Grandparent scam’ could be back in Saskatoon: Police

Fraudsters who trick their victims out of thousands of dollars by pretending to be a family member in trouble may have returned to the Bridge City.

According to the Saskatoon Police Service, investigators working on economic crime have information suggesting the fraudsters may be back in the city and targeting victims through the so-called “grandparent scam,” which has been an issue in the city before.

In one case, a group of three Quebec men allegedly defrauded Saskatoon victims of more than $100,000.

In another case early this year, an elderly Saskatoon couple’s response after receiving one of the scam calls led to the alleged perpetrators’ arrests.

“The Family/Grandparent Emergency Scam involves a potential victim, often an older adult, receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be a family member in an emergency and requiring money for various purposes,” the police service explained in a statement.

“The fraudsters may also work in tandem and connect the victim to another person claiming to be a police officer, lawyer, doctor, or representative of another profession. The payment is often requested as cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. This is a scam! Any legitimate authority would never make such requests.”

On Monday, police said an older couple got a call claiming a family member had been jailed in B.C. and needed bail money. Despite being asked to withdraw $7,000 and deliver it to a “bail bondsman” who was coming to collect it in person, police said the couple contacted their family members directly and learned it was a scam before making the payment.

Police said that’s a good way to check if a family member is really in trouble.

“If you receive a suspicious phone call, ask important questions of the caller to verify their identity but refrain from offering additional details yourself. Alternatively, hang up and call that family member directly to verify their location and well-being and/or connect with other relatives to fact check the call,” the police service advised.

“If the caller is claiming to be law enforcement or a representative of another profession, hang up and call that authority directly to verify the information. Fraudsters leverage urgency and panic to coerce the victim into complying with their request. Always use extreme caution, especially when being asked to send a form of currency.”

Anyone who has received a suspicious call and suspects fraud was urged to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Anyone who has been a victim of fraud was encouraged to report it to police.