A St. Thomas man is out $9,000 after receiving a call from someone fraudulently posing as a lawyer.
A St. Thomas man is out $9,000 after receiving a call from someone fraudulently posing as a lawyer in what’s known as a “grandparent scam.”
The 67-year-old was woken up in the middle of the night when he received a call from someone who said his grandson was in a collision, St. Thomas police said Tuesday. The caller, saying they were a lawyer, said $9,000 was needed to release the grandson from police custody. The man was told a “court bailiff” was coming to his house to pick up the cash.
The man withdrew $9,000 at the bank the next morning and gave it to a woman who arrived at his house that afternoon in a black SUV, police said.
“To all the grandparents out there who want to keep their grandchildren safe, please know that this is not how the Canadian court system works,” police said. Bail money can only be submitted at a courthouse.
St. Thomas police urge people to get in touch with their grandchildren and other family members if they receive a similar call to avoid falling prey to the scam.
Police departments and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center are other valuable resources to stay abreast of common scams that are circulating, St. Thomas police say.