A warning about a grandparent scam circulating in eastern Ontario has been issued by Ontario Provincial Police, after a couple nearly lost $7,000 in a scam demanding cash to spare their nephew from jail.
A 61-year-old woman called Lennox and Addington County OPP Friday night to report a possible fraud involving her nephew.
The woman told police that she received a private call from someone claiming to be her nephew and “appearing to be in distress." She alleged the scammer told her he "did not want to spend the night in jail" and needed her help.
She felt like she has to help, especially after the call ended, police said in a media release on Monday.
The woman received a second call from a private number shortly after, with the man "identifying as, Const. John Spring #76 with the RCMP." Police say the caller told the woman her nephew was arrested by Amherstview OPP for charges including possessing 10 lbs of marijuana. He then asked for $7,000 cash for his bail.
That was when she started falling into the trap and started collecting information to go send the money, the OPP said.
“She further collected a callback number from the male. The male advised that the money must be in cash and to call back once she had it,” OPP said.
When she went to the bank to withdraw the $7,000 cash, police say, the bank denied her request. That was when she went back to her home, told her husband and called 9-1-1.
While no money was given to the scammer, police conducted a wellness check and found that her real nephew was at home and in good health.
What are the warning signs and how to protect yourself?
• If you receive a suspicious phone call claiming to be from a family member in an emergency situation, hang up the phone and contact them directly on the number you have in your contact list.
• If the caller claims to be a law enforcement official and asked you to pay a fine or bail, hang up and call your police directly.
• Listen to that inner voice that is screaming at you: "This doesn't sound right.”
• Be careful what you post online. Scammers can use details shared on social media platforms and dating sites for targeting purposes. Suspects can easily gather names and details about your loved ones.
• Be suspicious of telephone calls that require you to immediately take action and request bail money for a family member in distress.
• Be careful with caller ID numbers that look familiar. Scammers use technology to disguise the actual number they are calling from (spoof) and make it appear as a trusted phone number.
• If you receive an email or text message claiming to be from a friend or loved one asking for money, make the outgoing call to the person by looking up the legitimate phone number you have for them in your contact list.
• Use unique and strong passwords for all social media and email accounts.
Since the beginning of 2024, Lennox and Addington County OPP have received 25 calls for a variety of different types of frauds.
