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Note: A photo is included of a courier and vehicle who picked up money from a victim in a recent scam. Police would like to talk to this individual. Any information on his identity can be reported to 902-490-5020.
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Police have responded to an increased number of scams targeting seniors this week and are warning of advancements in the way scammers build trust with victims.
In each incident, the victim receives a call from someone pretending to be a family member indicating that they have been arrested and are in jail. In recent incidents, scammers have used artificial intelligence to clone a loved one’s voice.
Another person representing themselves to be from the legal system then becomes involved and informs the victim that they need to pay money to have their loved one released from custody.
Over the last week, five seniors have reported this scam to police.
If you receive a call like this, do not provide or confirm any personal or financial information and hang up the phone. In Canada, law enforcement and court officials will not attend a residence to collect money in relation to bail.
Police remind people to be suspicious of emails or calls asking for money. Scammers can spoof phone numbers and make it appear as though they’re calling from a trusted source.
Do not give personal information to anyone, whether solicitation occurs by email, telephone or in person, unless you are certain of the identity of the individual and/or the legitimacy of the organization they claim to represent.
Police are asking the public to share this information broadly, particularly with seniors, to help raise awareness of this scam.
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