Strathcona County, Alta. – The Strathcona County RCMP is currently investigating what is known as an “emergency scam” and want residents to be aware of this and similar scams.
The victim received a phone call from a male claiming to be their daughter’s boyfriend. The male advised he was currently in jail for a crime he did not commit and required $8000 to be released from jail. The victim also spoke to a male who identified himself as an RCMP member who confirmed the story and continued to advise the victim where to send the cash via UPS. The victim sent the cash and later determined that it was as scam.
In these type of frauds, the scammers may pose as a police officer, lawyer or even as a family member and will already have the name of the son, daughter, grandchild or other family member and appear to be credible because they don't ask for much information.
A significant warning sign to look for is that the pressure is on, that the funds are needed immediately to deal with the emergency, adding urgency, often causing victims to make sudden decisions. They may even say that you shouldn't talk to anyone else about this or you don't have time to wait.
In order to avoid becoming a victim in a situation like this:
Reach out to the son, daughter, grandchild or other family members that would be able to verify the situation
- Don't feel pressured to send money immediately
- Don't provide personal or banking information
If someone is in jail, RCMP do not have an account for you to send bail money to nor do RCMP accept iTunes cards or accept credit card or debit payments
If you believe you may be the victim of fraud or have given personal or financial information unwittingly, contact the Strathcona County RCMP Detachment at 780-467-7741. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 Tips" app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.