Senior who gave $10,000 to pay bail for 'granddaughter' was researched on social media first: Vancouver police
A Vancouver senior who is one of several in the area to be preyed on by scammers this month had been researched online by those who targeted her.
According to police in the city, it appears the fraudster or fraudsters spend time going through the 73-year-old grandmother's social media posts, learning specific details so they could target her specifically.
The woman was then approached with a call by someone pretending to be her granddaughter. The scammer told the victim she was in jail, and needed $10,000 to pay her bail, the Vancouver Police Department said in a news release earlier this week.
The woman targeted in this latest incident, on Jan. 21, is one of more than a dozen seniors who lost money to these scams in a period of just 10 days this month.
The first report was filed Jan. 11.
All of these seniors were told that a loved one had been arrested and needed bail money. Many turned over thousands of dollars as a result.
Due to the sudden uptick in this particular scam, police are asking banks and other financial institutions to watch out for seniors making unusually large withdrawals.
"People who work at banks play a critical role in fraud prevention," Const. Tania Visintin said in a statement.
"They often know their elderly clients by name, know their routines, and are sometimes the first people to realize when something doesn't seem right."
Anyone who has been the victim of this or other scams, or has information about them, is asked to call police.
In one recent case, a suspicious senior called police when their scammer got in touch again asking for money. Officers were waiting at the senior's home when the person on the phone came to pick up the cash.
That case was in Delta. Similar scams have been reported in West Vancouver, and police in New Westminster and North Vancouver have issued warnings to the public that they, too, may be targeted.
The North Vancouver RCMP also published tips for what seniors should do if they think they're being targeted, including who to call to report it.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.