Cobourg Police Service is issuing a fraud alert following a recent grandparent scam.
In the recent fraud report, an 80-year-old man was defrauded of approximately $5,000. The victim reported being contacted by an individual claiming to be their son, stating that he was arrested and needed money for a lawyer.
A man attended the victim’s home and retrieved the money. This investigation is ongoing.
Grandparent scams, or emergency scams, often target older adults and play on emotional vulnerabilities using urgency to trick people into sending large amounts of money.