GREENSTONE, Ont. – Police are warning the public after receiving reports of telephone scam attempts in the Greenstone area.
The OPP’s Greenstone detachment has recently fielded reports of fraud attempts targeting local seniors, the force said in a statement.
Referred to as the “emergency scam” or “grandparent scam,” the attempts typically involve a call from someone claiming to be a child or grandchild, police said.
The caller will claim they are in some kind of trouble and need money immediately. The scam has been used for years and is sometimes successful in defrauding people, usually seniors, of funds via credit card or money transfer.
In most recent local cases, the victims did not transfer any funds to the callers, said Greenstone OPP.
Police advise checking with another family member or trusted friend to verify information before sending any money or credit card information.
Anyone who receives a call they believe to be a fraud attempt is asked to report it to the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or via its website.
