A Quebec man arrested last week in Regina following reports of a Grandparent Scam is facing charges in connection to defrauding several Saskatoon residents in late November.
Between November 24 and 27, 2025, Saskatoon Police received five reports of victims being defrauded of more than $45,000 by someone who claimed to be a grandson. The "grandson" claimed that he had been involved in a vehicle collision and needed money to get out of jail. Someone else would then attend to the grandparent's residence to pick up the money. In each case the victims provided between approximately $5,000 and $26,000.
On December 2, 2025, as part of a province-wide investigation, the Regina Police Service arrested two persons from Quebec and laid multiple charges following similar reports to Police in that city and in White Butte, Saskatchewan.
The male, 50 year old Ciprian Teodor is also facing Saskatoon charges of Fraud Over $5000 (x4), Fraud Under $5000 (1) and breach of court conditions. He is expected to face these charges in Regina Provincial Court.
Unfortunately Grandparent Scams have become common in Canada. If you are the recipient of a suspicious phone call, ask important questions of the caller to verify their identity but refrain from offering additional details yourself. Alternatively, hang up and call that family member directly to verify their location and well-being and/or connect with other relatives to fact check the call. If the caller is claiming to be law enforcement or a representative of another profession, hang up and call that authority directly to verify the information. Fraudsters leverage urgency and panic to coerce the victim into complying with their requests and demands. Always use extreme caution, especially when being asked to send any form of currency.
Police are encouraging families and friend groups that consist of older and/or vulnerable adults to openly discuss the Family/Grandparent Emergency Scam to prevent continued victimization in the community. If you or a loved one have received a suspicious call and suspect fraud but have not been victimized, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. If you have become the victim of fraud, contact your local police or report it to the Saskatoon Police Service by calling 306-975-8300; in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.