Local police warn public not to fall victim to 'grandparent scam'
From Sarnia to Lambton County, local police agencies are warning the public Monday to not fall victim for something called the “grandparent” scam.
According to the Sarnia Police Service and OPP West Region, the scam works by a scammer pretending to be the victim’s grandchild or a lawyer representing the victim’s grandchild.
Scammers claim they are in police custody and are facing criminal charges, and then ask the victim to transfer them money for legal purposes.
The scam has been reported across other parts of Ontario, and both Sarnia police and OPP West Region said they’ve lately received multiple reports, with OPP writing on Twitter that Lambton County OPP had received numerous calls about the scam on Monday alone.
While people may have never heard of this type of scam before, Sarnia police say it’s not new and “has been around for many years” and that scammers take advantage of people by playing off of their fears.
“These scam artists may sound very credible but that’s what they do,” Sarnia police said in a press release.
Police ask the public to not engage with the scammers, including not giving them private information or money, and to hang up immediately.
“Have this discussion with the elderly in your life, don't let them fall victim,” OPP West Region wrote on Twitter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.