By Pete McIntyre

Grandparent scammed out of $14,000

Jan 24, 2020 | 2:50 PM

A Kelowna senior has fallen victim to the so-called Grandparent Scam, losing $14,000, according to RCMP.

It came after a call last month from someone pretending to be the woman’s grandson.

“The scammer, who sounded desperate and distressed, told her that he was in legal trouble and that he urgently needed money,” said Cst. Solana Paré of Kelowna RCMP. “The con-artist claimed to have been involved in a motor vehicle collision and he desperately needed funds for the related damages.”

The con artist was able to get the woman in her late 70’s to transfer the money to two separate accounts.

“In some cases, the scammer will play on the victims’ emotions and sense of loyalty, telling them they are the only person they trust enough to call for help,” said Paré.

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Mounties advise the public to be aware that these types of scammers often scour social media pages, online websites or even family genealogy sites for the information they need to trick their victims. In some cases, the victims will unknowingly provide the suspect with personal information over the phone.

by Pete McIntyre

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