Two arrested after in-person grandparent scam in Saanich

Saanich Police says two people have been arrested connected to an in-person grandparent scam where two seniors lost nearly $30,000 in cash.

Earlier this week, Saanich Police shared that three seniors had contacted the department about scam incidents, where two resulted in the loss of money.

In the scams, people showed up at the homes of the seniors claiming a family member was in trouble and needed cash to resolve the situation.

One of the seniors lost over $20,000, and the other lost $7,000, while the third senior called someone to ask for advice and declined to give money.

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Typically, this scam is done over the phone or email, and Saanich Police says an in-person version has been reported to be happening on the mainland, and now these reports indicate it has come to Vancouver Island.

On Feb. 29, Richmond RCMP assisted in arresting two people at the Vancouver International Airport. The two arrested were a 26-year-old man from Montreal and a 24-year-old woman from Quebec City.

Both of the suspects will appear in court in Richmond on Friday afternoon, and each is facing two charges of fraud.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says people conducting this scam will often pose as family members or law enforcement and use urgency or threats to make you take out money.

In order to protect yourself, the Anti-Fraud Centre advises to call the family member directly if you receive a phone call that they are in trouble, using a phone number you already have, not one provided by the scammer.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be law enforcement, hang up and call the law enforcement agency directly.

Remember that the Canadian Criminal Justice System does not allow for people to be bailed out of jail using cash or cryptocurrency.

For more information, check the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.

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