Scams come and go in cycles, and at least one B.C. RCMP detachment is warning that the so-called “grandparent scam” is on the rise once more.
The scam typically targets senior citizens — hence the name — but it can strike anyone. In the most common variant, the target will receive a phone call informing them that their grandson (or son, or nephew) has been in a motor vehicle accident, has been arrested and appeared in court, and is being detained at an RCMP detachment.
The call is then transferred to someone who claims to be a lawyer. They will inform the target that their relative needs bail money — usually between $5,000 and $10,000 — in order to be released from jail. Sometimes the “lawyer” will say that a bail bondsman will come by the house to collect the money.
“We are cautioning people to be wary of this scam as it seems so real,” says Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP.
“Before you transfer any money to a ‘lawyer’ or ‘bail bondsman’, we ask that you stop and make enquiries with your relatives to verify if the information is true. If you have older relatives or neighbours, make sure to have a discussion with them, warning them that this is a scam and helping them to know what to do if they get a call like this. Seniors are heavily targeted by this and many other types of fraudulent phone calls and messages, and are often pressured to act quickly in order to help.”
The scheme has several variants, with one version claiming to be a phone call from a relative who is on holiday and has had their wallet, purse, passport, or ID stolen and needs funds immediately. Another scenario is that the caller must return home suddenly due to an emergency, and needs funds for a plane ticket, while yet another version involves an urgent situation such as a car accident or sudden illness that has left someone hospitalized and in need of money.
By creating a sense of urgency (arrest, theft, emergency), scammers hope to distract the victim from the implausibility of the situation, or avoid too many questions. A new twist is that the voice used in the phone call has been altered to sound more authentic using digital manipulation, likely with the help of A.I. (Artificial Intelligence). These tools mimic voices using data that is largely coming from public social media accounts, meaning that the person calling sounds like whoever they are impersonating and is thus more believable.
If you receive a call similar to any of the ones detailed above — or any call that asks you to send funds immediately, often via gift card or cryptocurrency such as bitcoin — police suggest that you call the relative in question, or their family, immediately to see if everything is okay. Also warn other family members about the scam, so that they don’t fall victim.
Be sure to report scam phone calls to your local RCMP detachment’s non-emergency line, and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
