A rural Gibbons resident was scammed out of thousands of dollars.
According to the RCMP, an unknown suspect came to the resident's door and told them that their grandson was in jail and demanded they cough up bail money.
After the resident spoke with who they thought was their grandson over the phone, they were persuaded to hand over the cash.
Officers are investigating this incident and have noticed an increase in similar grandparent scam cases. They also expect this increase to continue with the advancements in artificial intelligence.
Police have tips on how residents can prevent themselves from being victims of fraud:
- If you suspect that someone isn't who they say they are, gather as much information about them as you can.
- Never e-transfer money to anyone when you can not confirm their identity.
- Police do not collect bail money. All bail payments are done at the courthouse.
The RCMP is also asking anyone with information about potentially fraudulent activities to contact their local police detachment.