Stop, hang up, and verify.
Those are the three actions Sgt. Sunny Grewal wants seniors to take if they receive a phone call from someone they don’t know who tells them a loved one is hurt, their banks accounts have been compromised, and that they need to share personal information or send money.
“Do not share any information with the other individual over the phone,” she said at a scam awareness forum hosted by Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows MP Marc Dalton and the Ridge Meadows RCMP at the Maple Ridge Seniors Activity Centre on Feb. 28.
More than 60 seniors attended the event that heard from officer in charge of the local RCMP detachment Supt. Adam Gander, and Sgt. Grewal, among others.
Grewal, a police officer for more than 17 years, now heads a team of eight officers with the Ridge Meadows RCMP, who investigate complex cases of personal crimes, property crimes, and financial crimes.
Fraud, said Grewal, is the fastest growing financial crime and there are a variety of reasons why seniors are targeted for this crime.
Seniors are targeted because they have accumulated savings and retirement funds, they are more likely to answer phone calls or emails, they may be socially isolated, and they may be less familiar with new technology.
There is also a generational trust and politeness, added Grewal, noting that younger generations would hang up without hesitation, where older generations tend to stay on the line, not wanting to be rude.
Grewal addressed three scams criminals are using to get money from victims: the grandparent scam; the romance scam; and the bank or account scam.
And, with all three of these scams there are three red flags – there is always a sense of urgency, there is an emotional panic trying to help a family member in need, and a need for secrecy.
“It’s because we have a desire to protect our family. We want to help them. We are available,” Grewal told the crowd.
“Criminals know that and that’s why they are making these phone calls,” she added.
With the grandparent scam, the victim is told a loved one is hurt or in police custody and they need money immediately to post bail or to for an emergency procedure.
Grewal told her audience to hang up the phone and take the time to verify the information – find out where their loved one is.
She noted that young people post a lot of information about themselves and their family online and, Grewal claimed that it wouldn’t be difficult for her to pull up information on anyone in the room.
A scammer only needs the name of one family member for their story to be believed.
The romance scam is the most devastating, said Grewal, as the victim builds an emotional attachment over a long period of time with the scammer before they are asked for money.
Here scammers look for seniors who are looking for companionship because they are often lonely and isolated.
Be aware of fake dating sites, Grewal advised, and if you do meet someone online talk to them on live video calls to prove the person you met is real, and the correct age.
Don’t send money to people you have not met, she said.
And the bank scam or account scam, usually involves what Grewal called a “spoofed ID”, where the caller ID on the phone may show Ridge Meadows RCMP, or the name of a bank.
This can be easily done, said Grewal.
Payment in gift cards, crypto currency, wire transfers, or cash pickups are not legitimate, she added.
Grewal advised everybody in the room that there should never be an urgency to send money, that government agencies would never demand money be sent immediately.
“Nothing needs to be done immediately,” she said. “Slow down – if that means verifying the information, take a second to see is this right or wrong.”
Hang up the phone and check the information, talk with someone you trust, look up the contact number of the institution independently and phone them directly to ask questions.
Never give out any personal information like your name, address, or bank PIN number. Don’t click on links provided by somebody you don’t know.
If you are unsure you can always call your bank or the RCMP and ask questions.
March is Fraud Prevention Month, and the Ridge Meadows RCMP are asking people to have conversations with their loved ones about how to avoid becoming a victim.
They say it is OK to be impolite and hang up the phone or walk away if you suspect a scam.
For more information go to:
• RCMP safety tips: https://rcmp.ca/en/bc/safety-tips/frauds-and-scams;
• or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: https://antifraudcentre.ca/.