Rise in seniors being scammed, North Vancouver RCMP say

Mounties in North Vancouver are warning about a recurring scam targeting seniors.

They say the scammer tricks seniors into thinking loved ones have been arrested, and convinces them to give over thousands of dollars for “legal fees.”

RCMP says a recent example happened Sept. 8, when a woman in her 80s got a call from a man who claimed to be Cpl. Jefferson from the North Vancouver RCMP.

“The suspect claimed that the woman’s granddaughter was arrested by police and needed $9,000 to be released on bail. The fraudster then came to the victims’ home and picked up the money,” said an RCMP statement.

RCMP describes the suspect in this case as a Caucasian woman between 20 and 30-years-old, 5’10″, with a slim build, and long brown hair. She was wearing gold hoop earrings, a white top had tattoos on her left forearm, and had an accent.

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“It’s not uncommon for scammers to target the elderly by contacting them by mail, telephone, or online,” said Cst. Mansoor Sahak of the North Vancouver RCMP. “What’s different and concerning is that fraudsters are now showing up at the victims’ doorsteps to collect cash. It’s brazen, and we’re concerned about peoples’ safety.”

Later in the same day, a woman in her 70s got a call saying her granddaughter was in jail. When the woman went to the police station, officers informed her she was being scammed.

We’re asking the community to help inform vulnerable friends and family members about these scams, and to help us protect them from being victimized, said Cst. Sahak.

RCMP say to do the following to protect yourself from scams:

• Know that the RCMP will never contact you by phone and arrange for court officials or lawyers to pick up money from your home
• Understand that any call you receive informing you that a family member is in legal trouble and immediately needs money from you is almost certainly a scam
• Be aware that scammers can disguise caller ID numbers, and have been known to make it appear as a government agency, police detachment, or another trusted phone number