A man, also wanted out of Alberta on a warrant for fraud, is behind bars in Manitoba after being involved in a grandparent scam.
On Feb. 28, Mounties stated that a 79-year-old woman visited the Stonewall RCMP RCMP detachment and informed officers that she believed she had been targeted by a grandparent scam.
A few days earlier, police revealed that she had been contacted by someone claiming to be her grandson, stating that he needed bail money after being arrested following a car crash in Winnipeg. She was instructed to withdraw $8,000 in cash, which would be collected from her home, as per authorities.
Later, she received a call from an individual claiming to be her grandson’s lawyer, informing her that the money would be collected by a courier, as per the RCMP. She was instructed not to disclose this to anyone.
A man subsequently arrived at her home and collected the money, according to the police.
The following day, the woman was once again contacted by the same suspect and directed to withdraw an additional $8,000 to cover fines and clear her grandson of charges, as stated by officers. She complied.
A couple of days later, she received another call requesting “another large sum of money,” according to authorities. At this point, she visited her bank and was advised by an employee that she might be involved in a scam.
Later that day, someone was expected to return to her home. When this person arrived, the RCMP intercepted and arrested him, police reported.
He has been charged with fraud over $5,000.
Manitoba RCMP indicated a surge in grandparent scams. Approximately 13 similar incidents have occurred in southern Manitoba since the start of 2024, resulting in an estimated loss of $70,000.
“We believe there may be more victims of this scam and are asking the public to report any similar frauds to your local police as soon as possible,” RCMP mentioned.
