Amid a recent string of scams involving unauthorized transactions, RCMP are urging the public to think twice before transferring money to complete strangers.
It appears more fraudsters have been preying on Tri-Cities residents, particularly those of an older age.
According to Coquitlam RCMP, a grandmother was recently bilked out of $10,000 to what turned out to be a fake lawyer, and is one of many scam reports Mounties have recently received involving substantial transactions.
Spokesperson Const. Deanna Law said a man claiming to be a lawyer told the woman her granddaughter needed the five-figure bail to be released from police custody.
The backstory: The granddaughter was involved in a vehicle accident and first responders were on scene, but police found drugs in the trunk after searching her vehicle, which led to the arrest.
The grandmother ultimately agreed to the unauthorized transaction, but later realized it was a scam and reported the stolen money to RCMP.
“Fraudsters are always coming up with different tactics to scare people out of their money,” said Law in a news release today (Aug. 15) about the incident.
“These scammers make the call seem urgent and authentic. They prey on the vulnerable in hopes fear will overcome their emotions and another will fall victim to their demands.”
Other notable scams currently circulating in the detachment’s jurisdiction include bitcoin deposits and other sketchy transactions, as well as people who have posed…
