The Saskatoon Police Service Economic Crime Section continues to receive reports of a Family Emergency Scam.

This scam often includes a potential victim receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be a family member in distress and requiring money for bail or hospital bills. The caller then directs the victim to withdraw cash and use a courier company to send the money, to an out of province address. The victim may also be directed to other people claiming to be a police officer, a lawyer, a bail officer or some other authority. The SPS will never make requests of this kind.

If you are faced with a phone call of this nature, we would encourage you to use extreme caution, especially when being asked to send emergency money. Ask important questions of the caller to try to verify their identity. Ask for a phone number to call the "relative" back and contact other relatives to fact check this call immediately.

These callers use terms similar to ones found in the justice system and build a sense of urgency and panic for the need to send money. If you suspect fraud, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, or if you have been the victim of fraud, please report it to the Saskatoon Police Service at 306-975-8300.