Hamilton man among three arrested by Durham police in $30,000 grandparent scam

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Published March 29, 2022 at 11:29 am

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Three people, including one from Hamilton, suspected of defrauding a senior from Durham Region of $30,000 were arrested yesterday.

The Durham resident, 75, got a phone call on March 23 from a person claiming to be his son’s lawyer. The caller said the man’s son had been involved in a car accident and needed $30,000 to be released from prison.

This is a common tactic employed by con artists using a “grandparent scam.” Often the caller professes to be a police or a bond officer, or even the grandchild themselves.

Durham Regional Police warned of a significant spike in these types of fraud last November after a string of five similar crimes throughout Fall 2021. In a later December incident, a woman lost $9,000 this way the same day police received five other reports of attempted grandparent scams.

This time the victim sent the $30,000 before realizing he had been had. Once the man knew he had been defrauded he called DRPS.

Another call to the man came in on March 28, this time demanding another $20,000. The DRPS Financial Crimes, Robbery and K-9 units worked in concert to intercept the suspects.

Investigators found three people in a newer model Hyundai SUV and arrested the trio.

Tristin Johnson, 28 of Hamilton and Jordan Fortune-Fletcher, 31 of Ontario were each charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Alexander Nagy, 43 from Quebec, was charged with two counts of the same. All three have been released with conditions.

DRPS said the wished to “remind residents who receive any unanticipated requests for money to be extremely cautious and speak to a family member or trusted advisor for support.”

Anyone with information pertinent to this investigation can call Det. Chapman at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5352 or CrimeStoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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