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Scammer impersonates police officer, asks for money

Alberta Shaw customers may be having trouble placing or receiving calls on home phones Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. File / Global News

CALGARY – Police are warning the public about a telephone scam where the perpetrator pretends to be a detective, and asks for money on behalf of the Calgary Police Service.

Officials were alerted to the scam by an elderly man who contacted them on Sunday.

He said he had been receiving calls from a private number, and eventually answered the phone after ignoring more than a dozen calls.

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The caller told the victim he was a detective with the Calgary Police Service and claimed he required a large sum of money to resolve a case involving criminal activity on the victim’s computer.

The victim hung up and called police, who sent an officer to his house to investigate.

The scammer then called the victim’s house again, and the officer was able to answer the phone and speak with him before he hung up.

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The Calgary Police Service are warning Calgarians they do not solicit donations for programs or for any other reason, and people are asked to report any similar calls.

Victims are asked to record as much information as possible about the caller, including any numbers that may be visible on call display.

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