A 22-year-old has been charged in a fraud investigation in an Oxford County township, provincial police say.
Police launched the investigation in Norwich, south of Woodstock, after suspects tried to persuade two people to pay $8,000, money they claimed was needed to release a relative from police custody, Oxford OPP said Wednesday.
The callers had pretended to be a relative of the two people, saying they were in trouble with the police in what is known as the emergency or grandparent scam. Another caller, posing as an RCMP officer, then demanded money from the two people, claiming their relative had been arrested for drug offences.
Police said one of the two people believed their son was in trouble and obtained the money. That person was told an officer would come to their home to collect the $8,000 needed for bail.
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But the person became suspicious and contacted police. A short time later, an unknown person pretending to be a courier arrived at the home, police said.
Police said officers came to the home and arrested the person on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old from Montreal is charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000. The accused was held in custody pending a bail hearing and is to appear in Woodstock court at a later date.
“Unfortunately, there are many who make a living from preying on honest and compassionate individuals, that utilize an emergency-based scenario of family members in distress requiring funds,” police warned in a media release.
Anyone who has fallen victim to a similar fraud or has information about the investigation is asked to contact OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips can be sent online to Crime Stoppers at www.oxfordcrimestoppers.com or by phone at 1-800-222-8477.