The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) wants you to be on the lookout for a possible grandparent scam involving individuals that may be operating within this city.
Typically, a victim is contacted by a fraudster pretending to be their grandchild.
The scammer says they’ve been arrested and require money to post bail.
In one case, they indicated they were in a motor vehicle accident and then arrested, and several thousand dollars was requested to post bail to avoid being remanded into custody.
In most cases, the individual being scammed is asked to send money through electronic means.
However, in this one case, they were asked to meet in-person at the victim’s home, and the scammer was aware of the address.
Police say these fraudsters are often experts at creating a sense of urgency and panic.
TBPS is encouraging residents to speak to friends and family members who may be more aggressively targeted by these kinds of scams.
Police say the best way to avoid being victimized is to hang up and try to independently verify the story.
To learn more about frauds and scams click here
