North Vancouver RCMP are warning the public of a spike in fraud targeting seniors.
Police say an elderly woman was contacted by someone impersonating a financial institution fraud investigator on May 15. The caller told her fraudulent purchases had been noted on her chequing account, and her card chips must be checked. Shortly after, a man who claimed to be from her bank showed up at her home and took her bank cards. They later racked up $23,000 in fraudulent charges.
The elderly woman later reported the incident to her financial institution and the police to recoup some of the money she had lost. Investigators say these suspects may be travelling throughout the Lower Mainland. Eight Similar frauds with the same modus operandi have been reported, and they are currently in North Vancouver committing these frauds.
The investigations are active and ongoing.
“We continue to repeat our warnings, but we don’t mind being a broken record. We need would-be targets to know how to recognize these scams,” says said Corporal Mansoor Sahak of the North Vancouver RCMP. “We also need friends, family, neighbours, anyone who interacts with the elderly or those who are new to Canada to tell them about these scams, how to recognize them, and what to do if a scammer contacts them. Anyone can be a target, says Sahak, and some of the fraudsters are extremely convincing.
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