Seniors are advised to be extra cautious about alleged family members calling and asking for large sums of money.
Toronto police issued a public safety alert Tuesday, Aug. 31.Investigators report a suspect calls an unsuspecting senior claiming to be an adult grandchild, niece or nephew.The suspect then allegedly tells the senior they're in an emergency situation such as being under arrest or in police custody and require bail money.The senior is then asked to wire a large sum of money - anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 - via Western Union or Cash Money transfer to a lawyer in Montreal.The victim eventually learns the lawyer is non-existent and that a family member was never arrested.Police are urging seniors who receive this type of call to confirm the information with other family members before taking any action or to contact police for assistance. Authorities are further advising people to take extra caution when dealing with strangers by telephone or the Internet, especially when it involves sending funds through wire transfers - a common tool used by fraudsters. For more information about this and other online phone scams, visit http://www.phonebusters.com/Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).~ Joanna Lavoie