Burnaby RCMP warn seniors about phone scam
Burnaby RCMP is warning seniors about a telephone scam that has popped up again in Burnaby.
The well-known scam involves a fraudster calling an unsuspecting victim posing as a relative, such as a nephew, who is either in jail or has been in a car accident. The fraudster usually asks that $1,000 to $4,000 be sent via Western Union to Montreal to help get them out of trouble. The suspect hands the phone over to a person posing as a lawyer, who provides instructions on the money transfer.
Between Jan. 20 and Feb. 16, Burnaby RCMP investigated eight “grandparents scams.”
“It surprises me that in spite of all the education and public awareness about this scam, variations of it keep resurfacing,” said Burnaby RCMP Corp. Brenda Gresiuk. “We are happy to report that in the cases reported to the Burnaby RCMP none of the victims were swindled out of their money.”
For more information about protecting yourself against scams and frauds visit www.phonebusters.com.
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