Alberta woman arrested following grandparent scam in Saskatoon

A 28-year-old woman from Alberta is alleged to have defrauded nearly $100,000 from Saskatoon victims.

She was arrested and charged with a series of fraudulent activities that began in 2023, Saskatoon police said.

In September and October of 2023, police received multiple reports of victimization through the family/grandparent emergency scam, according to a release.

Police said the suspect was attending to the residences of victims and defrauding them each of several thousand dollars.

“On February 13, 2024, the suspect was arrested by members of the Calgary Police Service, and on February 16, 2024, she was transported into the custody of the SPS by the RCMP Provost Unit,” police said.

According to the news release, the suspect had been involved in defrauding victims in Saskatoon of more than $97,000.

The suspect has been charged with fraud over $5,000 (x10), impersonating a police officer, and unlawful use of a credit card obtained by the commission of an offence.

Grandparent scams target seniors. A caller will identify themselves as a family member in trouble who needs money immediately for things like bail or hospital expenses.

According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, more than $11.3 million was fraudulently taken from Canadians last year using the grandparent scam.