NORTH BAY, ON - Wednesday, September 24, 2008 -Police are warning the public to be vigilant against the "Emergency Scam," also called the "Grandparent Scam," in the wake of a significant increase in complaints filed with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre.
The typical scenario for this fraud is a grandparent receives a phone call from a con-artist claiming to be one of his or her grandchildren. The caller says they are in some kind of trouble - usually a car accident, trying to return from a foreign country, or they need funds to pay bail - and need money immediately. The caller specifically asks the victim to not contact other relatives because the caller doesn't want to "get in trouble" with other family members. Wanting to help their grandchild, the victim sends money electronically, usually through a form of money transfer.
Variations on the scam exist where the con-artist claims to be an old neighbor or friend of the family, etc.
Complaints in the first eight months of 2008 have more than doubled to 317 over the total of 128 complaints during the full year of 2007, according to RCMP Cpl. Louis Robertson of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre (CAFCC). "Almost half of those complaints - 155 of them - were reported during July and August alone," he said.
The CAFCC (formerly called PhoneBusters) was established in 1993 and is jointly operated by the RCMP, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Competition Bureau Canada. The CAFCC is a national call centre where people can report fraud complaints and the information is used to assist in investigations. The CAFCC plays a key role in educating the public about specific fraudulent mass marketing and identity theft pitches. It also helps to prevent similar crimes from taking place in the future through its ability to identify emerging trends. To report a fraud call 1-888-495-8501 or report online at www.recol.ca
For more information, contact: RCMP Cpl. Louis Robertson, 705-494-3182
