Ottawa seniors should be wary of messages telling them to avoid financial loss by buying and shipping gold, local police say.
Scammers are posing as trusted sources, telling seniors through pop-up messages online that their financial information has been stolen, according to an April 14 press release from the Ottawa Police Service.
Victims of the new “Grandparent Scam” are told the only way to protect their money is to buy gold and hand it over to scammers, leading to “significant financial loss,” police said.
Two elderly Ottawa residents were scammed into buying more than $500,000 worth of gold each, Ottawa police said. The press release points to a similar case in Norfolk County, where a resident lost almost $350,000.
The Ottawa and the OPP are urging seniors not to buy gold or gift cards if they receive unexpected online messages, emails or phone calls.
“These scams can sound very convincing,” reads a statement from Ottawa police fraud Det. Shaun Wahbeh in the press release. “If something feels suspicious, always ask for help.”
Because victims are told not to tell their family or the bank, police said anyone who has been told to buy gold to protect their money should talk to a family member or friend first.
People who have lost money or believe they have been targeted should call 211 or local police immediately, the statement adds, or report a scam online at ottawapolice.ca or opp.ca.
