KAWARTHA LAKES-A Kawartha Lakes resident was recently scammed out of $5,000 in the grandparent scam.
A victim attended the Kawartha Lakes Police Service to report that she had received a call from her daughter being in jail and required money to be released on Friday, December 2. The victim was provided an account number and deposited $5000, before attending the Ontario Court of Justice in Lindsay learning it was a scam according to police.
This is known as the parent or grandparent scam, a fraud in which someone pretends to be a child who desperately needs monetary help. The scammers typically claim their voice is different because of accident and then a second person acts like lawyer or police officer and says funds are needed for bail and legal expenses. The victims are also told to keep it secret from other family members.
What to do if you receive a call:
- Do not provide any personal information
- Do not hand any money over
- Remember police will never go to your door to ask for money nor would they ask money to be given to a courier
- Stay calm even if the suspect is pressuring and indicating this is an urgent matter
- Take the time to check the facts with family
- If you are concerned, it’s a scam call police or a person you trust immediately
- Report the scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
