March is Fraud Awareness Month, and one Calgary senior is taking the opportunity to share a story of why you can never let your guard down.
One of the top three scams in Canada is the so-called “emergency” or “grandparent” scam.
Victims received a panicked phone call from a relative in trouble asking for money.
“I was just beside myself that something should have happened to her,” says Marion Sailer.
She received a phone call from a man claiming to be a lawyer from Montreal.
He told Marion her granddaughter had been in an accident and was in jail for driving without a license.
Marion was convinced to wire several thousand dollars to the man, to get her granddaughter out of jail.
Just a few days later, she learned it was a scam.
Police say it’s organized crime and hard to trace.
These criminals target people living in seniors homes.
If you get a call, always check with a relative before sending any money.
Officials say, if you’re asked to wire money for anything, it’s likely a scam.
Marion has reported the incident o police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Information on the Emergency/Grandparents Scam & other common scams:
http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_emergency.html
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