Senior tricked into sending $3.5K in ‘bail money’ scam, Vancouver police warn
Canadian cash is shown: (iStock)
A "bail money" scam that saw a Vancouver senior send thousands of dollars to someone posing as her grandson this week has prompted a warning from police.
In a tweet Thursday, the Vancouver Police Department said the 87-year-old was tricked into sending $3,500 by courier to an individual pretending to be her grandson and claiming to be in jail.
"We managed to intercept the package before it arrived, but many others haven't been so lucky," the tweet reads.
According to the VPD, 56 victims lost more than $700,000 combined in Vancouver last year alone — after scammers convinced them to hand over cash for a loved one's bail money.
In an email to CTV News, the VPD said the senior involved in this week's bail money scam lives alone downtown.
"She was contacted Tuesday by a person claiming to be her grandson, who lives with cerebral palsy and needs regular medication," said Sgt. Steve Addison. "The supposed grandson convinced the woman that he had been arrested in Quebec for drug possession, and needed $8,500 to get out of jail."
Later that day, the VPD said the woman received a call from someone claiming to be a police officer, who convinced her to courier the cash to an address near Montreal.
"Fearing her grandson would go without his medication, the senior withdrew $3,500 — her daily limit — and sent it by courier to Quebec," said Addison.
It wasn't until her grandson coincidentally called her to catch up shortly afterwards that she realized she had been scammed.
"The courier intercepted the package and sent it back to Vancouver so our officers could return the money to the senior," said Addison.
Police said the incident remains under investigation and no arrests have been made at this time.
"If someone claiming to be police or a family member phones asking for bail money, it's a scam. Call police immediately," the VPD added.
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