The Stratford Police reported that on Wednesday, February 15th they attended an address on Salina Street North in St. Marys after receiving a report of a Grandparent Scam, in which the victim lost $16,000.
Police learned they were contacted by an unknown male who pretended to be an officer with the Brantford Police. The scammer advised the victim that her grandson had been arrested and money was required to have him released from custody with a “Conditional Discharge”, meaning he would have no criminal record.
The victim was led to believe that she was bound by a gag order and could be criminally charged if she disclosed this information to anyone else.
What is highly unusual is that once the victim obtained the money, arrangement were made for the scammer to attend the victim’s residence to retrieve it.
An unknown male attended the victim’s residence on two occasions. The first time on Thursday, Feb. 9th with a second on Tuesday, Feb. 14th. Both visits are believed to have been sometime after 12:00 pm.
The male is described as white male, 5 feet 8 inches, black hair, slim build, wearing a medical mask, dressed in street clothes. The male is believed to have arrived and left on foot in an unknown direction.
Police are asking anyone in the area with video surveillance to check your cameras and forward any video of unknown pedestrian traffic to [email protected].
Anyone else with any info is asked to contact Detective Constable Nick Keating at 519-271-4147 ext. 8177 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
