Reports of "grandparent scams" have been popping up in Les Maskoutains, in Que., with two people scammed out of money and dozen others approached by fraudsters.
Although these cases occurred in Quebec's Monteregie region, this type of fraud can be found anywhere, provincial police (SQ) warn.
The scams involve posing as a senior's relative in order to get money from them.
"The suspect will pose as a family member, relative or acquaintance and then contact the victim, telling them that they are in trouble and need access to money quickly, sometimes in amounts up to thousands of dollars," explained SQ spokesperson Louis-Philippe Ruel.
According to an SQ press release, the fraudsters take advantage of seniors' vulnerability and put pressure on them "by playing with their emotions."
"In recent cases, they even went so far as to send someone to get the money from the victim's home," the release states.
Ruel said these scams often occur over the phone and are a Quebec-wide issue.
"It is something that could be found everywhere in Quebec and that surfaces quite sporadically in the news," he said.
In 2021, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received reports of 379 cases involving 115 victims, with more than $1.7 million in losses. But since the start of 2022, the centre says there have been 674 cases involving 273 victims and resulting in $2.7 million in losses.
The SQ shared a few pointers when it comes to avoiding these scams:
If the caller is too insistent or demanding, be wary
Ask personal questions that only your loved one would be able to answer.
Call another family member or the person's friends to verify the validity of their story
If the caller claims to be acting on behalf of an organization, contact the organization directly
For additional support, seniors can call the Elder Mistreatment Line at 1-888-489-2287.
This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on July 30, 2022.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has nominated Ontario judge Michelle O’Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada. In a statement announcing the nomination, Trudeau said that O'Bonsawin is an Abenaki member of the Odanak First Nation and is a fluently bilingual Franco-Ontarian.
As students across Canada gear up to enter what will be their fourth academic year in the pandemic, CTVNews.ca takes a look at what measures will be in place in schools, by province and territory.
As of today, individuals and businesses are no longer able to import restricted handguns into Canada, with limited exceptions. The move announced earlier this month is aimed at expediting a key pillar of the federal effort to cap the number of handguns in the country.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra is set to testify before the House of Commons transport committee this afternoon about ongoing airport delays and flight cancellations.
Last year, Arzou Lashkari was ready to fly to Canada and start a new chapter of life at Concordia University. But her dream was crushed when the Taliban took control of her country, forcing her to stay home.
The owner of a historic church in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood is evicting a group with ties to the 'Freedom Convoy' occupation planning to purchase the property this fall, in an apparent dispute over unpaid rent for the facility.
There is not enough evidence to open a formal church investigation into sexual assault allegations against a prominent Quebec cardinal, Pope Francis declared Thursday. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, an adviser to the Pope, has been accused of sexual misconduct in a class-action lawsuit filed earlier this week in Quebec Superior Court.
As rent prices rise, CTVNews.ca heard from a number of Canadians struggling to afford their homes. The surge in rent prices over the last few months has forced many to cut back on spending, with some having to relocate or move in with their parents.
Police say three unidentified masked men with dark clothing forced their way into an apartment where 39-year-old Justin David Breau was stabbed. The suspects ran away towards Garden Street before police arrived.
Angela Parker-Brown may be unable to speak but that hasn't stopped her from using her voice. The mother from Truro, N.S., who is unable to speak due to ALS, recently published a memoir using technology that tracks her eye movements to form words and sentences.
Two-term city councillor and former deputy mayor Maureen Cassidy will not seek re-election this fall. Just hours before the deadline for candidates to register at city hall, Coun. Cassidy confirms her decision to step aside.
Popular Twitch user and local transgender activist Clara Sorrenti, says she is currently in hiding fearing for her safety. Sorrenti says she has received threats after going public with an incident involving London police. She posted the experience on YouTube Thursday night.
Municipal councils in Ontario are nearing the end of this term’s four-year cycle and with an election on the horizon, there are only two candidates running in North Bay's mayoral race as the nomination deadline looms.
The Calgary Police Service has cordoned off a section of the Bow River pathway and closed a lane of eastbound Memorial Drive in the northeast following a Thursday night stabbing.
The Region of Waterloo council approved a series of measures on Thursday to help ease the growing homelessness crisis, including a first-ever decision to permit an encampment.
A Windsor man who uses a wheelchair, his seven-year-old-grandson and two chihuahuas are thanking a neighbor who rushed into their burning home to help them escape.
A 20-year-old Regina man is facing a total of 13 charges after the Regina Police Service (RPS) completed what it called a complex investigation into numerous stolen vehicle incidents, a news release said.
The owner of a historic church in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood is evicting a group with ties to the 'Freedom Convoy' occupation planning to purchase the property this fall, in an apparent dispute over unpaid rent for the facility.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has nominated Ontario judge Michelle O’Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada. In a statement announcing the nomination, Trudeau said that O'Bonsawin is an Abenaki member of the Odanak First Nation and is a fluently bilingual Franco-Ontarian.
The Saskatchewan NDP called on the province to remove teachers named in a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit alleging incidents of physical and verbal abuse against students by staff at the Legacy Christian Academy.
