Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect after an elderly Niagara Falls woman fell victim to fraud known as the grandparent scam.
On June 21, according to the Niagara Regional Police, a woman in the city’s south end received a phone call from someone claiming to be her grandson.
The caller said he had been arrested by the RCMP and needed cash in order to be released from custody.
The complainant was instructed to attend her bank to withdraw funds.
The victim complied and, shortly after returning home, a woman attended her home and picked up the cash.
The victim later spoke with her grandson and learned he had not been arrested.
Police are appealing to members of the public for assistance identifying the suspect.
She is described as Black, 35 to 45 years old, wearing a white sleeveless blouse, black pants and black sandals. She was carrying a beige purse and had a tattoo on her left wrist.
Cases of grandparent scams are on the rise in Niagara.
In February and March alone, police investigated 57 incidents.
Collectively, victims paid scammers approximately $150,000. The money has not been recovered.
In May, an elderly couple purchased $22,000 in gift cards from three different retailers.
None of the salesclerks questioned the purchases.
Local police launched a point of sale scam intervention program (POSSIP) earlier this month to raise awareness and education for retail and financial institution employees with the goal of providing intervention at the point…
