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City police are alerting Edmontonians of a fraud series targeting grandparents.
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On Tuesday and Wednesday, officers received four reports of victims of a grandparent scam with a total financial loss of more than $25,000.
Police said in a news release Tuesday that in all the reports, the suspects contacted the senior either in-person or over the phone, stating their grandchild had been arrested or in an accident and needed bail money.
The scammer then offered to take a credit card number over the phone, or once the complainant had money on-hand, to go to their home to retrieve the funds. In all four reports, the scammer falsely represented themselves as either a police officer, lawyer, or the grandchild.
In one incident, the suspect picked up funds from a senior’s home. The suspect is described as a slender woman, five-foot-three, with dark brown or black hair. She was also wearing a head covering at the time.
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Police are reminding citizens that “scammers prey on emotions, whether that’s fear, love, panic, or guilt. With any demand for funds or personal information, citizens should take a moment to evaluate the situation.”
“If someone is claiming that your family member is in trouble, confirm with your family before you provide personal or financial information,” said Staff Sgt. Tom Paton, southeast division watch commander, in the news release.
“If the person claims to be from a police service, you can call the service directly to confirm the situation. Police will never contact you and demand money.”
Anyone who believes they were a victim or has information about these scams is asked to contact police.