Police Warn
Public as Reports of the "Emergency" Cash Phone
Scam Double
September
23, 2008 - Police are warning the public to be vigilant against
the “Emergency Scam,” also called the “Grandparent Scam,”
in the wake of a significant increase in complaints filed
with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre.
The
typical scenario for this fraud is a grandparent receives
a phone call from a con-artist claiming to be one of his or
her grandchildren. The caller says they are in some kind
of trouble – usually a car accident, trying to return from
a foreign country, or they need funds to pay bail – and need
money immediately. The caller specifically asks the victim
to not contact other relatives because the caller doesn't
want to “get in trouble” with other family members. Wanting
to help their grandchild, the victim sends money electronically,
usually through a form of money transfer.
Variations
on the scam exist where the con-artist claims to be an old
neighbor or friend of the family, etc.
Complaints
in the first eight months of 2008 have more than doubled to
317 over the total of 128 complaints during the full year
of 2007, according to RCMP Cpl. Louis Robertson of the Canadian
Anti-Fraud Call Centre (CAFCC). “Almost half of those complaints
– 155 of them – were reported during July and August alone,”
he said.
The
CAFCC (formerly called PhoneBusters) was established in 1993
and is jointly operated by the RCMP, the Ontario Provincial
Police (OPP) and the Competition Bureau Canada . The CAFCC
is a national call centre where people can report fraud complaints
and the information is used to assist in investigations. The
CAFCC plays a key role in educating the public about specific
fraudulent mass marketing and identity theft pitches. It also
helps to prevent similar crimes from taking place in the future
through its ability to identify emerging trends.
To
report a fraud call 1-888-495-8501 or report online at www.recol.ca
Protect
yourself:
- Be vigilant. Protect yourself
and your family.
- Resist the pressure to “act
now”. Don't panic.
- Know with whom you are dealing.
Ask for his/her name and coordinates and confirm them for
yourself or request assistance from a member of your family
or somebody you can trust.
- Contact your local police
to help you or to verify the legitimacy of such telephone
calls.
- Be wary of unsolicited emails,
telephone calls, or mail attempting to extract money from
you or asking you to transfer money electronically urgently.
- Fraud – Recognize It. Report
It. Stop It.
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