Elder fraud is already a well-known issue, and now some scammers are using cannabis as means to trick seniors. Namely, one British Columbia, Canada, senior has lost several thousand dollars after becoming the target of an elaborate, professional scam, according to a GrowthOp report.
According to a New Westminster Police report, it began when someone called the woman, claiming to be her grandson and reportedly telling her “Hi, Grandma,” as she answered the phone. Once she responded with the name of her grandson the scammer told her that they were arrested for having a large amount of cannabis in their vehicle and requested money for bail.
Police said that a second person posing as a police officer then got on the line and prompted the woman to put the cash in an envelope. From there, she was instructed to meet another party outside, at which time she would hand over the cash and her “grandson” would be freed from jail. When the woman expressed hesitation, the scammer assured her it was not a trick and that it was indeed her grandson in need of help.
Another party did meet the woman outside her residence to collect the cash, described by police as a woman in her early 20s with light purple, wavy, shoulder-length hair; a faded charcoal sweatshirt; patterned leggings; pink crocs; and standing 5’4” in height.
Officers also learned that the scammers used techniques that encouraged the victim to share information which was later used to manipulate her, such as learning the name of her grandson after their initial greeting.
“It is despicable that criminals are using family bonds to manipulate seniors out of thousands of dollars,” said Media Relations Officer Sergeant Justine Thom in a news release. “We’re asking people to speak to friends and family about this incident, and to share with them the techniques the fraudsters used. Knowledge is power and we need more people to know about the scams.”
The release notes that an officer first responded to a call from the victim on December 13, when she shared that she believed she was the victim of a scam. Unfortunately, it’s also not an isolated incident. While the scams are increasing in popularity, variations have also been around for years.
While these scams don’t always involve cannabis, the so-called “Grandparent Scams” generally involve a victim getting a call from a scammer posing as their grandchild. That person then explains they are in some kind of trouble, often an arrest, robbery, accident or the like. There’s generally a sense of urgency, like being hospitalized or needing bail money. As with this case, scammers often try to obtain information about the grandchild in the moment to use against the victim or may even look up information on social media about the person they are posing as ahead of time.
AARP recently warned its readers about the scam, along with Winnipeg Police earlier this year and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2021.
According to the FCC’s warning, scammers generally try to bully victims into transferring money through a mobile payment app, wiring money or purchasing gift cards or money orders. The best action, it says, is enabling call blocking for unknown numbers and/or hanging up the phone immediately when a call begins to sound suspect. The FCC also recommends reporting suspicious calls to local law enforcement.
For the unlucky British Columbia senior, officers are continuing to collect evidence to identify the suspect and urge folks who might have more information to contact the New Westminster Police Department.
