A version of the notorious grandparent scam bilked a Toronto-area resident of $6,000 cash and police say the two suspects were coming back for more.
York Regional Police said they began investigating in July after the victim reported he had received phone calls from someone pretending to be a police officer.
Investigators said that the ruse followed the “grandparent scam” playbook, and the victim was told their grandchild had been arrested and needed money for bail.
“The victim complied and the suspect sent a courier to collect $6,000 cash from him,” police said in a news release.
Later that day, police added, the suspect called again and said a gun was located inside the vehicle their grandchild was travelling in, and they now required an additional $7,000 to make bail.
At that point, the victim realized they may have been caught up in the scam and called police, investigators said.
The two-month investigation ended with police identifying and charging 20-year-old Brampton resident Markell London with fraud over $5,000.
One additional suspect, who investigators believe to be an accomplice of London, is still outstanding. Police describe the suspect as a Black male between 20 and 25 years old, five-foot-nine, 150 lbs, with black hair and medium build.
The grandparent scam has been victimizing elderly residents across the country for years now and according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre Canadians lost more than $11.3 million to the scam in 2023.
Police in York Region remind the public to be vigilant in the face of the scam, and call a family member or the police if they suspect they’re being targeted.
“We encourage citizens to share fraud prevention tips with friends and family, especially seniors or newcomers to Canada, who are frequently the targeted victims,” police said.