The Saskatoon Police Service says several Saskatoon residents have been taken in, in recent days, by fraudsters through another round of the Family/Grandparent Emergency Scam.

Police say in some reports, fraudsters went to the victim’s home and defrauded them of several thousand dollars. In others, victims were directed to deposit large sums of money into a Bitcoin ATM.

The police investigation has discovered that fraudsters are contacting the victims by telephone claiming to be a grandchild in an emergency as a result of a traffic collision or drug possession. Payment is then demanded in cash or cryptocurrency for bail and legal fees. The fraudsters even go so far as instructing the victims to lie to their financial institution to withdraw funds. They may also tell their victims they can’t discuss the matter with anyone else because there is a “non-dissemination order” in place – meaning a gag order.

Saskatoon Police urge anyone who is contacted by these scam artists to always call family, friends, and/or the authority in question directly to verify the information and fact check the call. In December 2022 and January 2023, scammers managed to bilk more than $100,000 from area seniors through a version of the grandparent’s scam.

If you have received a suspicious call and suspect fraud but have not been victimized, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. If you have become the victim of fraud, contact your local police or report it to the Saskatoon Police Service by calling 306-975-8300; in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.