From October 10 to 13, Gatineau police state, they received over a dozen reports of fraud resulting in thousands of dollars lost by citizens. The type of fraud that is being reported is the “grandparents’ fraud”.
The target is usually older family members, such as parents and grandparents. An individual will receive a call from someone claiming to be their son, grandson, son-in-law or the partner of a grandchild. The fraudster will say they were in a car accident, and they hit someone. Usually they claim to have hit a pregnant woman, and were then arrested. In some cases, the person pretending to be the loved one will say they admitted to the police officers that they were using their phone while driving.
They will then claim they only had one call and the call will soon be cut off. They will then ask the victim to pay their bail and not to tell anyone about it. The phone call will end with the imposter saying their lawyer will contact the victim.
The parent or grandparent will then receive a second call from someone claiming to be the lawyer. The pretend lawyer will ask the individual to withdraw the money for bail and not to mention to the bank clerk what it is for, because they would then have to fill out documents and that would take too much time. Once the victim has the cash, a fake bailiff or a courthouse employee will meet them at their house to collect the money.
Gatineau police say that, in some cases, the fraudster will meet the individual in a public place to reassure them.
Police say it’s important to remember that no one is safe from fraud. Older individuals are often the target because of the wealth they may have accumulated and, in some cases, their vulnerability.
Gatineau police fraud prevention tips
Police say that it’s important to question the fraudster on the phone who is claiming to be a loved one. The way to do this is to ask questions that are specific or personal enough that the perpetrator would not be able to guess the answer. Another way police suggest to verify the individual’s identity is calling the person the individual claims to be, using the phone number you have for them.
Authorities advise against transferring money. Fraudsters’ tactics usually involve creating a sense of urgency, giving the victim the sense that they can’t check if the person is who they claim to be. Citizens are also advised against sharing personal or banking information over the phone.
Residents are invited to contact 819-246-0222 if they believe they have been a victim of this type of crime.
Citizens who have any information about the grandparents’ fraud scheme are encouraged to contact the Gatineau police information line at 819 243-4636, option 5.