Guelph woman loses $4K to grandparent scam

(FILE)

A Guelph woman was scammed out of $4,000 after she was tricked into thinking her grandson was in trouble.

It started with a phone call last Wednesday.

Police said the caller pretended to be her grandson. He also claimed he had been arrested after a crash and needed $4,000 for bail.

The caller then arranged for someone to go to the victim’s home and pick up the cash.

Police said the woman eventually contacted her grandson and realized she had made a mistake.

“Residents are encouraged to be wary of any telephone call, email or text which requires you to take immediate action,” they warned in a media release. “It is always best to independently contact the supposed sender and confirm the legitimacy of the correspondence before taking action.”

Victims of cybercrime or fraud should report the scheme to their local police department, as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, even if there has been no financial loss.