Niagara Regional Police are releasing a phone call of a recent 'Grandparent' scam for residents to hear and learn from.
Detectives from the NRP's Central Fraud Unit are reporting an increase in the scams which involve Niagara residents being called, and told their loved one, usually a grandchild, is in legal trouble, and they need to send money to help them out.
Police say the scams are getting more and more aggressive, and they are now saying a gag order has been placed on the case, so they can't say anything to anybody.
The victims are then asked to go withdraw cash, and then someone is sent to pick it up from the victim's home or have the victim send the money via courier services.
If you receive a call like this, hang up and call your grandchild or the family member back with their real phone number.
Safety tips:
-Never confirm any personal information over the phone.
-Always verify who is calling.
-Don’t be pressured. Stop. Take some time to process what you have been told, to see if it makes sense.
-Ask a trusted friend or family member for their opinion.
-If you’re in doubt, call your local police service.
"In an effort to protect vulnerable victims from scams, we would like to ask the public to take a “NRP me plus three” approach to scams. Seek out information from an official source, educate yourself and then educate three persons in your life who may be vulnerable to becoming victims of scam crime."