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City police have arrested and charged a man in relation to a scam targeting seniors in Edmonton and surrounding areas.
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The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) started an investigation into a number of frauds that had been occurring in and around Edmonton targeting seniors on March 11, police said. The EPS said the “grandparent scam” involved targeting vulnerable elderly people and more than 30 complaints have been made since March.
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Police said in many cases a call is made to a senior by someone pretending to be their grandchild. The suspect pleads for help stating they are in police custody and need money and the grandparent is asked not to speak to anyone about the situation and a demand for money to be released from custody is made, police said.
Often times, money is provided to suspects via cash or credit card, police said.
“These incidents are occurring all across Canada,” EPS Det. Pierre Lemire said in the release.
“There have been over 36 complainants in the Edmonton area since March of 2022 and there are new complainants being identified every week.”
Lucas Kopijewski, 30, is charged with six counts of fraud over $5,000 in relation to six separate incidents, police said.
