Posted:
The HRP/RCMP Integrated Financial Crime Section has once again received several reports of seniors being contacted by a person alleging to be their grandchild. The person claims to have an emergency and be in need of money for various reasons. It has been determined that these calls are not legitimate, and in most cases, the suspect does not have the name of the grandchild and seeks this information from the victim as part of the scam. There is a new twist in this recurring scam; the suspect tells the senior that he would be sending a courier to their residence to get the money. There is no evidence to suggest in any of these incidents that the suspect knows where the senior lives.
HRM Partners in Policing reminds citizens to be suspicious of any calls asking for money and to make sure the call is legitimate before sending any money or making any donations. You should also not give personal information to anyone, whether solicitation occurs by telephone or in person, unless you have initiated the contact or you are certain of the identification of the individual and the legitimacy of the organization they claim to represent.
If you have been the victim of a scam, you should report the matter to police by calling the HRP/RCMP Integrated Financial Crime Unit at 490-1985 or online at https://www.halifax.ca/police/NonDispatch/index.html