Members of the Saskatoon Police Service Economic Crime Section are alerting the public to a recent series of fraudulent activity in the community that has resulted in the arrest of an Ontario man.
On May 15, 2023, police received a report of victimization through the Family/Grandparent Emergency Scam; the suspect attended to the victim’s residence and defrauded them of several thousand dollars. Investigators from the SPS’ Economic Crime Section quickly identified a person of interest and following a tip from the public, a 20-year-old man from Ontario was arrested at a hotel in the 400 block of 20th Street East; he is charged with fraud over $5,000. As a result of evidence seized upon his arrest and a subsequent search warrant executed at the hotel, investigators believe there may be additional victims both locally and in other communities that have not yet reported to police.
This investigation is ongoing and it is possible that additional charges may be laid. If you 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 online or by calling 306-975-8300.
(Court Information Number: 991232276)
Background:
The Family/Grandparent Emergency Scam involves a potential victim, often an older adult, receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be a family member in an emergency and requiring money for various purposes. The fraudsters may also work in tandem and connect the victim to a second person claiming to be a police officer, lawyer, doctor, or other authority. The payment is often requested as cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. This is a scam! Any legitimate authority would never make such requests.
If you receive 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 hospital staff, hang up and call that authority directly to verify the information. Fraudsters leverage urgency and panic to coerce the victim into complying with their request. Always use extreme caution, especially when being asked to send a form of currency.