The Saskatoon Police Service Economic Crime Section is urgently alerting the public to a series of fraudulent activities occurring in Saskatoon.
In recent days, police have received reports of fraudsters actively targeting victims in Saskatoon through the Family/Grandparent Emergency Scam.
In some reports of victimization, fraudsters attended to the victim’s residence and defrauded them of several thousand dollars. In others, victims were directed to deposit large sums of money into a Bitcoin ATM for receipt by the fraudsters.
To date, the police investigation has found that fraudsters are contacting the victims by telephone claiming to be a grandchild in an emergency as a result of a traffic collision or drug possession. Payment is then demanded in cash or cryptocurrency for bail and legal fees.
SPS say, remember, any legitimate authority would never demand payment as cash or cryptocurrency over the phone.
The fraudsters are instructing the victims to lie to their financial institution to withdraw funds. They may also falsely state that a non-dissemination order (gag order) is in place preventing discussing the matter with anyone else.
Don’t panic! Always call family, friends, and/or the authority in question directly to verify the information and fact check the call.
Police are encouraging families and friend groups that consist of older and/or vulnerable adults to openly discuss the Family/Grandparent Emergency Scam to prevent continued victimization in the community. If you have received a suspicious call and suspect fraud but have not been victimized, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. If you have become the victim of fraud, contact your local police or report it to the Saskatoon Police Service by calling 306-975-8300; in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
