York Regional Police have arrested three people after a 73-year-old woman lost $5,000 to a scam in which suspects told her her grandson was in jail and needed money.
On Nov. 24 investigators with the financial crimes unit learned that the woman had received a phone call from a suspect who posed as a police officer. She was told her grandson was in jail and needed $9,000 to be released.
The suspects went to the victim's residence and two of them waited in their vehicle while a third went and collected $5,000 from her. After the suspects left, the victim received a phone call informing her that she had to pay $4,000 more.
Investigators were able to locate the vehicle in Brampton and stop it before any more money was taken from the victim. Three people were charged.
Dikran Artin Khano, 22, and Kasson Roker, 19, both of Laval, Quebec, and Kaouane Rami, 21, of no fixed address, are charged with fraud over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime, and extortion. Roker and Rami are also charged with failing to comply with a court order.
Grandparent scams are an ongoing issue. Typically suspects target elderly people, pretending to be their grandchild in distress, demanding money to get them out of trouble. In some cases, a second suspect pretends to be a government official or police officer to provide information on how the victim can send money.
YRP advises that anyone who receives a phone call or other contact like that should:
- Never offer personal or financial information to the caller
- Call the grandchild or family member in question, at a phone number you recognize as their own
- Ask the caller personal questions that only your grandchild could answer but an imposter could not
- Verify the story or information with family first
- Press the caller for details if they identify as a government official and verify their information
- Never send money to someone you don’t know
- Ask yourself: Could this be a scam? Does it make sense?
If you have been a victim of a fraud, and have not lost any money, please contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or by calling 1-888-495-8501. To report an incident if you have lost money, please report it online or call York Regional Police at 1-866-876-5423.
