Grandson Telephone Scam Hits Nanaimo

At least ten reports were received yesterday by the Nanaimo RCMP of a telephone scam involving a grandson in desperate need of money .

Throughout the day several callers reported receiving phone calls from a male who identified himself as their “favorite grandson”. One caller said she received six calls from the same person. Most recipients were elderly and were told he had been in an accident in the Toronto area and needed $2300 dollars wired to him immediately The people who reported this said he was very convincing and they wanted to believe him.

Fortunately no one was dubbed by this scam and correctly called the police to report it. One caller took the initiative to contact Phone Busters and was told the phone number is on file with their agency and associated with other telephone scams.

“ Every day hard working honest people are taken in by these scam artists. When in doubt ,tell someone, call the police, the Better Business Bureau or Phone Busters. You can also do a search on your personal computer to see if the phone number has been involved in other fraud files” said Constable Gary O’Brien, media spokesperson for the Nanaimo RCMP.

For more information on current scams hitting communities across BC please go to www.phonebusters.com or call toll free at 1-888-495-8501