Increase in grandparent scams reported in Calgary: police [Video]

Calgary police are warning residents about an increase in attempted grandparent scams targeting seniors.

There were 32 incidents reported to police as of January 2024, including 21 where approximately $180,000 was lost in total, according to a Thursday news release.

Victims realized they were being scammed in nine of those incidents. The two remaining incidents were reported by a third party and it is unknown if money was lost.

During these scams, suspects call potential victims, pretend to be a loved one and claim they have been arrested and need cash for bail.

The victims are then told to send money via e-transfer or in-person through a phony “bond collector” where they are often threatened with a false gag order, pressuring them to remain silent.

In these cases, the suspects are often impersonating law enforcement officers and lawyers. Calgary police noted that officers are not involved in collecting bail money …