More than 12 reports of grandparent scam in single day, Kelowna RCMP warn

A B.C. grandmother lost thousands of dollars in a phone scam.

Mounties in Kelowna say they received more than a dozen reports from people targeted by the so-called "grandparent scam" in the city on Thursday.

The local RCMP detachment says the number of reports received in a single day represents an "unusual increase"

The fraudsters contact their intended victims by phone, telling them their grandchild is in police custody. Then, they demand "a large sum of money" for bail, the Kelowna RCMP's statement warning about the apparent uptick in incidents says.

"This is never a practice by the courts or by police and it is a scam!" it continues.

The scam is something police across B.C. have issued warnings about, and elderly victims have spoken out after losing thousands of dollars.

Anyone who receives a call like this is encouraged to report it to their local police force by calling the non-emergency number. People are also urged to spread the word about this scam to seniors in their lives.

More information on this and other common types of fraud is available online.