Warnings about grandparent scams issued by Waterloo regional and Guelph police

Police services in Waterloo region and Guelph are asking the community and family members to speak with seniors about grandparent scams, following recent reports that fraudsters are targeting older adults.

Between February and July, the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) received 30 reports of seniors losing more than $185,000 in the scams. 

In those cases, police said, the individuals targeted are 50 and 87 years old.

"The suspects claimed to be RCMP officers on the phone and sent a delivery driver to collect the money," WRPS said in a media release. 

Most recently, police arrested and charged a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old from Guelph after officers responded to a report of a grandparent scam in progress in Cambridge on Aug. 3. Police received 14 reports that same day.

Guelph Police Service (GPS) has also seen a rise in grandparent scams and issued a similar warning to the community.

What is a grandparent scam?

A grandparent scam can also be known as an emergency scam, according to police.

A fraudster typically contacts an older adult claiming to be a grandchild or friend of a grandchild who is in crisis — either in an accident or in jail — and needs money.

Police said seniors can sometimes get a second call from someone posing as a police officer or lawyer, who tells them not to talk about the matter with anyone. The fraudster then directs the victim to go to their bank to get the funds.

The fraudsters can also pose as a courier to pick up the funds or direct the intended victim to send the money through a legitimate courier to an address usually in another city or province.

Guelph police Det. Brooke Drake said these scams are complex, and though police have made some arrests, the cases are often challenging to investigate.

She said police have been able to track some of the funds sent by mail to vacant properties or houses outside the province.

"It seems to be a pretty elaborate scam and it's through multiple jurisdictions all across Canada right now," she told CBC News.

"The people who are defrauding these victims, this is their full-time job. They're very good at what they do."

Drake said family members should speak with older or vulnerable adults about the scams to raise awareness about them.

Senior who are contacted about a grandchild or family member in what appears to be a scam should hang up and confirm the story with those people mentioned by the scammer, Drake said.