Two Quebec residents are facing charges after a Prince Edward County couple lost $8,000 in a grandparent scam.
On Friday, the couple told Ontario Provincial Police they had fallen victim to fraudsters through the grandparent scam on Thursday.
The couple lost $8,000 to fraudsters executing an elaborate scam claiming to be a loved one in trouble with law enforcement, police said.
In a statement, the OPP says officers stopped two individuals on Friday who were attempting to "further victimize the same couple" by requesting an additional $9,500.
Jean-Pierre Savard, 64, of Montreal, and Brandon-Luis Ortiz-Ruz, 22, from Saint-Leonard, are each facing two counts of fraud over $5,000.
In a typical grandparent/emergency scam, police say the victim will receive a "frantic phone call from someone" claiming to be a grandparent or loved one, explain they have been in some type of emergency and need money right away. Police add the scammer may pretend to be a lawyer or a police officer on the call, and will insist the victim does not tell anyone.
Police offer the following tips to avoid becoming the victim of a grandparent scam.
- Call the relative who is allegedly in trouble
- Pump the brakes and ask more questions
- Ask for credentials
- Criminal Justice System does not allow for someone to be bailed out of jail with cash or cryptocurrency
- Be wary of any request to "not tell anyone"
- Be cautious of the sense of urgency
