Murray Wood: What happened to basic manners?
At the risk of sounding old fashioned, Murray Wood is questioning the manners of some of the people he meets. He says pe...
The Regina Police Service is advising people that an old scam is making the rounds again.
In a media release Friday, police said they have received reports about the “grandparent scam” being used.
The RPS said two cases had been reported Friday alone, with one victim losing nearly $8,000.
The scheme typically involves someone claiming to be a grandchild calling an elderly person and asking for money for some emergency. The caller tells the victim to withdraw cash and use a courier company to send the money.
“The victim gets caught up in the urgency and, out of concern, sends the money,” the police release said. “It is only after the money has been sent and the victim starts making other calls to family and friends that he or she realizes there was no crisis and learns that s/he is a victim of fraud.”
Anyone who gets a call like that is urged to ask the caller questions to verify their identity, or to ask for a phone number to call the “relative” back after checking their story with other relatives.
Police said people who suspect fraud should contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or, if they’ve been victimized, to call the Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500.
