Be wary of so-called relatives on the telephone asking for money, Chilliwack RCMP are warning the public.
An elderly woman in Chilliwack got a call Tuesday from her adult “grandson” who said he’d been in a car accident while driving impaired in Montreal and needed money.
“He advised the woman to attend a Western Union office and send him $2,500 for his legal fees,” RCMP Const. Tracy Wolbeck said.
“In an attempt to make the scam more believable, a second man posing as a lawyer came on the line to confirm his fee with the woman, and that he needed the money right away.”
But police were at the woman’s home when a second call came from the scammers to confirm the money had been spent.
“It, of course, had not been,” Wolbeck said.
And the suspect’s reaction to finding a police officer on the line “was not favourable, as can be expected,” she said.
Wolbeck said.
This type of telephone scam is not new, and preys on the natural desire to help a family member in an emergency situation.
“It is very stressful for the person receiving the call, and they are often at a loss for what to do,” Wolbeck said.
Police suggest asking the caller something only a family member would know — the name of a family pet, or details of a family holiday.
“If these questions cannot be answered accurately, disconnect and do not continue to engage the caller,” Wolbeck said.
