'Grandparent scams' increasing in Quebec and across the country

Quebecers lost $732,000 from grandparent scams in 2022, ranking third in the country behind Ontario and Alberta.

With the phenomenon rising in Canada, the RCMP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) will hold a fraud prevention campaign between Feb. 6 and 10 to raise awareness.

Last year, Canadians lost $530 million in frauds, an increase of almost 40 per cent from the $380 million stolen in 2021.

According to CAFC communications officer Jeff Horncastle, both the number of victims and the amounts stolen continue to grow.

In 2021, the CAFC processed complaints from 323 victims; a year later, 1,1000 people came forward to report scams.

The CAFC estimates that only five to 10 per cent of fraud victims report it, suggesting even more astronomical losses.

"Grandparent" scams alone are estimated to have stolen over $9.2 million in Canada, a significant increase from $2.4 million in 2021.

Over half of these losses (5.4 million) occurred in Ontario, followed by $1.1 million in Alberta. Next is Quebec, followed by British Columbia ($322,000) and Manitoba ($313,000).

In these scams, fraudsters pose as a family member, typically a grandchild, or as legal official or police offiver representing them. They claim that money is needed for some kind of emergency, such as bail. 

To tackle the issue, the RCMP will share tips, newsletters and social media posts throughout the week to raise awareness of this type of fraud.

Police say anyone who knows a senior at risk of being targeted should talk to them about it and explain what to do if they receive such a call. The CAFC recommends establishing a code word to verify the authenticity of the individual on the line.

Any victim of fraud is advised to report the crime to their local police department and the centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online, even if no financial loss has been incurred.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 5, 2023.