Cobourg Police Advising Citizens of “Grandparent Scam”

Pete Fisher
2 years ago
• Categories: Police Blotter

The Cobourg Police Service (CPS) reminds community members to be vigilant in protecting themselves against scams and frauds after reports of grandparent scams circulating in the area and
in communities across Ontario.

Local police and police services across Ontario continue to receive reports from residents who have fallen victim to the Grandparent Scam (also called an emergency scam). CPS has received three fraud reports in the past week.

This type of phone scam targets older adults and plays on emotional vulnerabilities using urgency to trick people into sending large amounts of money. In a grandparent scam, fraudsters may:
• Pose as a grandchild (or family member) in trouble and in need of money.

• Pose as a police officer or lawyer saying that a family member is sick, injured, or in jail and requires large amounts of money to solve their situation.

• Request money to be delivered to or picked up by an unknown person.

If you receive a call like this, police advise you to hang up immediately and take a moment to see the red flags.

The fraudster will make it sound urgent and pressure you to send money. In some cases, scammers will tell the victim not to tell anyone.

• Do not send any money or provide cash.

• Hang up and contact the family member in question directly.

• Ask questions only family members would know.

• Call someone you trust or the police for an opinion about the call you just received.

Take the time to talk to your family and friends about fraud prevention.

If you or a family member were a victim of fraud, please contact the CPS at 905-372-6821 or the law enforcement agency in your jurisdiction. If a scammer has contacted you or a family member, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at or by phone 1-888-495-8501 (toll free).

Please visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website for a list of known scams, and to learn more about how to protect yourself.