A Calgary man who is believed to have defrauded several local seniors out of thousands of dollars over a four-month period is now facing 10 charges in what has become known as the “grandparent scam.”
Generally speaking, the “grandparent scam” refers to scammers posing as grandchildren of elderly people claiming they have been arrested and are in urgent need of money to secure bail. In other cases, the scammers have been known to pose as government or law enforcement officials looking to collect bail payments.
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. Between February and April 2022, 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.
After reviewing CCTV footage and speaking with witnesses, investigators were able to identify one man believed to be responsible for multiple incidents.
As a result, Jason Dwight DEAR, 38, has been 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.
DEAR is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.
“We are asking anyone who has been approached by an unknown person asking for bail payment…
