Waterloo Regional Police have issued a warning about the “grandparent scam” after an elderly man from Cambridge was almost duped out of $3,000.
Police say the scam generally involves the grifter calling an older person and claiming to be a grandchild or someone else they know while purporting that they are in distress.
The scammer then says they need money to pay for some trouble they have gotten into such as a car crash or an arrest. They then ask for money to be shipped via courier, wire transfer or gift cards to help them out of their jam.
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Police say, in the case of the Cambridge man, 89, police say the scammer claimed to be a grandson who had been in a car crash in Montreal. They said they needed $3,000 to pay the other driver.
They said he was then told to send $3,000 through UPS to a Montreal address and was instructed not to tell anyone.
He then received two more calls asking for more money to be sent to the same address.
Police say after they were called in, officers were able to recover the $3,000 but also noted that the victim still suffered a financial loss as a result.
They provided some tips for area residents to avoid falling victim to a similar scam.
Police say it is important to take time to think the situation through as the fraudster will attempt to seem like they need the money immediately.
They also say to call the person back, using a number you have for them, to verify whom you are dealing with.
You should also call a friend or a family member to get a second opinion about the call. Police say scammers will try to get you to skip this by saying they are embarrassed by the conundrum they are facing.
Police also say not to send money and not to provide personal information over the phone.
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