Police don含羞草研究社檛 typically field a lot of scam phone calls, but this week operators at the Nanaimo RCMP detachment received multiple calls from people asking if their grandchildren were being held in the detachment含羞草研究社檚 cells.

The calls were spurred by a wave of grandson scam attempts in Nanaimo and other Island communities.

含羞草研究社淲e had 20 calls yesterday,含羞草研究社� said reserve Const. Gary O含羞草研究社橞rien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson. 含羞草研究社淭hose who got conned lost between $3,000 and $8,000.含羞草研究社�

The grandson scam involves criminals calling a potential victim, pretending to be their grandson and claiming to be in trouble with the law, often in a foreign country. They say they need several thousand dollars to cover bail and legal defence costs, and another scammer pretending to be a defence lawyer or assistant then comes on the line to instruct the victim on how much money is needed and how to transfer the funds.

This time, O含羞草研究社橞rien said, the scammers were claiming to be in jail in Nanaimo.

Voices in the calls impersonated grandsons, granddaughters, police and even the Embassy of Canada to the Dominican Republic.

含羞草研究社淚t actually was friend of mine who called in. He含羞草研究社檚 quite an astute guy, too. He said [he was 95 per cent sure] it was a fraud, but they used AI to [mimic] his niece含羞草研究社檚 voice 含羞草研究社� He said it sounded just like his niece,含羞草研究社� O含羞草研究社橞rien said. 含羞草研究社淪he was 含羞草研究社榓rrested and in jail含羞草研究社� in the Dominican Republic and they had an 含羞草研究社榦fficial with Canadian consul含羞草研究社� call in.含羞草研究社�

Other scam stories involved someone who was in jail after being involved in a vehicle accident involving a pregnant woman, and someone who said they were taken into custody because they were a passenger in car in which drugs were seized.

含羞草研究社淭he other ones were impersonating a police officer 含羞草研究社� They also had legal assistants on, so it went from the grandson to the lawyer to the legal assistant who provided the detail on the [money] wire and the 10-digit transaction number,含羞草研究社� O含羞草研究社橞rien said. 含羞草研究社淲e had one woman call in from a local chartered bank and the bank refused to give the money out. They said you have to call the RCMP and it took about 20 minutes to convince her that it was actually a fraud.含羞草研究社�

O含羞草研究社橞rien said ages of the victims who fell for the scam varied from their 50s to 80s and for those who lost money, there含羞草研究社檚 little the RCMP can do to help them other than create a file about the theft.

含羞草研究社淭he money含羞草研究社檚 been wired out and unless they go immediately to their chartered bank with the file number, there含羞草研究社檚 not much the bank can do,含羞草研究社� O含羞草研究社橞rien said. 含羞草研究社淥ften the bank will try to assist them.含羞草研究社�

To learn more about online fraud and telephone scams, how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud or what steps fraud victims should take, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at . Victims can also report frauds by calling 1-888-495-8501. Fraud victims should also contact the Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.

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