More police departments warn of 'bail money' scam after $10K lost in Delta

Police agencies across the Lower Mainland are warning the public about a "bail money" scam that has been reported around the region this month.

Vancouver police first publicized the scam last week, releasing surveillance video of a fraudster collecting thousands of dollars from seniors who had been told a relative had been in a car accident and was being held in jail.

The Vancouver Police Department said at the time that it had received two reports of the bail money scam on the same day, and was working with police in other jurisdictions - including Surrey and Chilliwack - to determine whether the incidents were connected to others reported around the region. 

This week, police in Delta reported yet another instance of the scam.

On Jan. 13, a resident received a series of calls from someone claiming to be from the RCMP. The scammer told the woman she "urgently needed to provide bail money for her grandson," according to a news release from the Delta Police Department.

The scammer knew the woman's grandson's name, police said, adding that someone showed up at her house later that day and collected $10,000 from her.

The following day, the scammers called back, this time demanding $25,000 supposedly related to the grandson's probation. The woman became suspicious and called police, who were waiting at her home when the scammer arrived to collect the money.

Delta police said they arrested a suspect at the woman's home and have been working with other police agencies to determine whether the incident is connected to other cases in the region.

“I can also confirm that there are outstanding persons of interest in this matter, with whom the police would like to speak,” said Delta police Insp. Brian Hill, the officer in charge of the department's frontline patrols, in the news release.

Police in New Westminster and North Vancouver also issued warnings about bail money scams this week, though neither agency shared details of any specific incidents in its jurisdiction.

Delta police said they have not been able to recover the $10,000 the victim lost. The 22-year-old Quebec woman they arrested in the case was released on Jan. 17 with "a number of conditions."

Marie-Jeanne Belanger is facing one charge of committing fraud over $5,000, Delta police said.

All of the police agencies that have issued warnings about this scam have stressed that Canadian police and courts never call family members to ask for bail money. Anyone who receives such a call should hang up and report it to their local police, as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.