Wood Buffalo RCMP is warning of a rise in Emergency Scams, also known as “Grandparent” scams.
Perpetrators will make distressing calls, posing as law enforcement or family members, seeking payment to assist a relative in legal trouble. They may pretend to be a police officer, judge, or other trusted figure.
RCMP says scammers have even used AI to sound like the victim’s family member.
Criminals will usually ask for cash, payment in gift cards, bitcoin, or e-transfers. The suspects will then send an associate to act as a courier to pick up the money in person, and ask for the money to be mailed or e-transferred.
Wood Buffalo RCMP would like to remind citizens of the following:
- Bail is always paid in person at a courthouse or correctional centre
- Never send money to anyone you do not know
- If a person claims to be a police officer or judge, call that police service or courthouse directly to confirm the situation – police and courts will never demand cash be picked up in person or mailed
- Never give out personal information over the phone or online to someone you do not know—the police or courts will not ask for personal information over the phone
If you believe you are a victim of this or any fraud, please call Wood Buffalo RCMP at 780-788-4040, or your local police, as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or 1-888-495-8501).
To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.