OTTAWA, ON, April 18, 2024 /CNW/ - The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) welcomes the news today about the results of an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigation into an emergency scam variation targeting the elderly often referred to as "grandparents scam". Scammers claim to be someone they know, such as a grandchild, and tell them they need money immediately. The CAFC is tracking a number of other variations of emergency scams including those occurring by text message or social media. These frauds are a persistent and evolving threat to Canadians.

This is at least the third major investigation since 2021 resulting in the arrest of individuals behind this type of fraud. The OPP arrests highlight that these frauds are carried out by serious and organized fraud groups based in Québec and national in scope. 

The CAFC supported this investigation by linking and sharing fraud reports from victims across Canada and from law enforcement partners with the OPP. The CAFC successfully flagged numerous fraudulent bank accounts used to facilitate some of the occurrences.

Since 2021, Canadian police arrested more than 70 money mules picking up money at victim residences in every province. According to data collected by the CAFC, the emergency scam resulted in over $23M in losses across Canada.

The CAFC is reminding the public to be on the look out for emergency frauds and offers the following advice:

• If you receive a suspicious phone call claiming to be from a family member in an emergency situation, hang up the phone and contact them directly on the number you have in your contact list.
• If the caller claims to be a law enforcement official and asked you to pay a fine or bail, hang up and call your police directly.
• Listen to that inner voice that is screaming at you: "This doesn't sound right".
• Be careful what you post online. Scammers can use details shared on social media platforms and dating sites for targeting purposes. Suspects can easily gather names and details about your loved ones.
• Be suspicious of telephone calls that require you to immediately take action and request bail money for a family member in distress.
• Be careful with caller ID numbers that look familiar. Scammers use technology to disguise the actual number they are calling from (spoof) and make it appear as a trusted phone number.
• If you receive an email or text message claiming to be from a friend or loved one asking for money, make the outgoing call to the person by looking up the legitimate phone number you have for them in your contact list.
• Use unique and strong passwords for all social media and email accounts and enable multi-factor authentication.

Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of cybercrime or fraud should report it to their local police and to the CAFC's online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. If not a victim, report it to the CAFC anyway.  

• The CAFC is a national police service that gathers intelligence on fraud across Canada and assists police of jurisdiction with enforcement and prevention efforts.
• The CAFC is jointly managed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Competition Bureau Canada, and the Ontario Provincial Police.
• Emergency scams prey on fear of a loved one being hurt or in trouble. Scammers claim to be someone they know and tell them they need money immediately. The most common variation is the "grandparents scam": a senior gets a phone call, typically on their home phone/landline, from a caller claiming to be their grandchild or calling on behalf of their grandchild. They say they need money as soon as possible, whether to pay bail, lawyers fees, hospital fees, ambulance fees, etc. They will say the payment is needed immediately to avoid going to jail or to be released from jail.

• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre – Emergency Scams
• Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre supports OPP in major grandparent fraud investigation

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police