Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Emergency scams prey on your fear of a loved one being hurt or in trouble. Scammers claim to be someone you know and tell you they need money immediately. Awareness of fraud prevention is important at any age, but unfortunately seniors are often specifically targeted by scammers. Cst. Josh Savill from Whitehorse RCMP General Investigative Section recently attended the Yukon Council on Aging Annual General Meeting to share information about what Yukon seniors can do the keep themselves safe from fraudsters. We need your help to warn seniors that are close to you as Whitehorse RCMP have received reports that Yukoners are being targeted. Scammers are pretending to be grandchildren who urgently need money for bail because they were arrested. Three cases have been reported in the last few months. There are other variations of the emergency scam, and the police want you to be aware of them.
Fraudsters will:
- Claim to be law enforcement officials, lawyers and impersonate the grandchild/family member
- Use urgency and threats to convince you to take out money
- Claim that there is a “gag order” preventing you from speaking about the situation
- If you agree to pay the requested amount (cash or cryptocurrency), fraudsters will arrange to pick up the funds in person or will ask you to send cash in the mail, by email or e-transfer.
How can you protect yourself from this type of fraud?
If you receive a phone call claiming to be from a family member in an emergency situation, hang up the phone and contact them directly using a phone number you already have – not one provided by the suspected fraudster.
If the caller claims to be a law enforcement official, hang up and call your local police directly, using a phone number from a reputable source – not one provided by the suspected fraudster
Be suspicious of telephone calls that require you to immediately act and request money for a family member in distress
Listen to that inner voice that is screaming at you “This doesn’t sound right”
It is important to know the Canadian Criminal Justice System does not allow for someone to be bailed out of jail with cash or cryptocurrency
Be careful what you post online
Scammers can get details that you shared on social media platforms and dating sites to target you or get names and details about your loved ones
Don’t trust caller ID names and numbers.
Scammers use technology to disguise the actual number they are calling from and can make it appear as a trusted phone number, also known as spoofing
Learn more from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm