Victim conned out of cash in bail money grandparent scam in Caledon

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Published May 18, 2023 at 10:07 am

grandparent scam OPP

Police are warning residents to be on the lookout after a Caledon resident was the victim of a “grandparent scam.”

On April 21, the OPP says officers from the Caledon detachment were contacted by a Caledon resident who said they had received a call from someone claiming to be a police officer.

Police say the caller gave a name and badge number and claimed the victim’s nephew had been arrested before a second person came on the line pretending to be the nephew and saying they were scared.

The fraudster reportedly told the victim that a payment was required to pay for the nephew’s bail “and to avoid further legal action.”

Police say a “courier service” came to the victim’s residence to pick up the payment and a large amount of money was lost as a result of this scam between April 19 and April 20.

Police did not say how much money was scammed and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on this or similar scams is asked to contact the Caledon OPP at 1-888-310-1122. You can also contact Peel CrimeStoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or https://peelcrimestoppers.ca.

“If you receive a call with someone identifying themselves as a friend or family member urgently in need of money, slow things down,” police said in a release.

Police are warning residents to be mindful of scams. Here are some tips to help avoid becoming a victim:

  • Confirm that it is the person that they say they are
  • Contact the relative yourself or ask them a question that only they would know the answer to
  • Do not provide your home address, banking information or personal details
  • Ask for a number to call them back
  • If you are told that they have been arrested and are in custody, ask for the address of the police station or the courthouse where they are being held
  • Contact your local police service and report the incident immediately.

“If you know an elderly person, please reach out to them, and have a conversation on what to do if they get a similar phone call,” police said.

For more information on scams in Canada or to report fraud contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or visit www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.

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