A Calgary man accused of defrauding several seniors out of thousands of dollars in what is known as the “grandparent scam” is facing 10 charges.
A grandparent scam involves scammers posing as grandchildren of elderly people, claiming they have been arrested and are in urgent need to money to get bail.
Scammers have also been known to pose as government officials or law enforcement looking to collect payment for bail.
“Throughout the course of this investigation, officers spoke with several victims who courageously came forward to report their experience with an unknown man who was allegedly posing as a court-appointed courier,” police said.
“Between February and April, fraudsters would make arrangements to show up at victims’ homes to collect thousands of dollars. In April alone, approximately 20 similar incidents reported to police resulted in a combined loss of $199,000.”
A suspect was identified after investigators reviewed CCTV footage and spoke to multiple witnesses.
Jason Dwight Dear, 38, is charged with seven counts of fraud over $5,000, three counts of using a stolen credit card and one count of possession of a controlled substance.
He is scheduled to appear in court on June 8.
“We are asking anyone who has been approached by an unknown person asking for bail payment to report it to police,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Auger.
“These fraudsters are clever and convincing, and they prey on people’s generosity and…
