Woman defrauded $4,000 in phone scam claiming her daughter was in jail

Police are warning people to be vigilant after a Brantford woman lost $4,000 in a telephone scam.

On Jan. 18, someone called a 64-year-old woman and told her he was a lawyer, and that her daughter was in a car accident and was in jail in Quebec.

Police say the man told her that the daughter was driving drunk and hit another vehicle with Americans in it, and that she had damaged city property.

The so-called lawyer said the daughter needed to pay for damages before she could be released on bail. Police say the victim was suspicious and asked to speak with her daughter. The man put another woman on the phone who didn't sound like the daughter, and the woman asked her why her voice was different. The woman became hysterical and passed the phone back to the lawyer.

The woman sent four Western Union wire transfers to Quebec, advised by the people on the phone not to say why she was doing it. Not long after, the victim reached her actual daughter and realized it was a scam.

Brantford Police offer these tips to protect yourself from fraud:

• Before transferring money, ask the person a question with an answer that only your family member would know.
• Don't give out personal or credit card information to an unknown source.
• If you think it's a scam, hang up.
• Confirm with your family, police or bank before sending money.
• Visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre.ca