Suspects in Saskatoon emergency scam identified themselves as law enforcement, police say

Saskatoon police are warning the public about alleged fraudsters identifying themselves as police officers as part of a grandparent, or emergency scam.

Investigators say there have been a number of recent reports from victims of the scam, where fraudsters have gone to victims’ residences and defrauded them of thousands of dollars.

The family, or grandparent emergency scam, usually involves an older adult receiving a phone call from a person claiming to be a family member in crisis, requiring money for various purposes.

“The fraudsters may also work in tandem and connect the victim to another person claiming to be a police officer, lawyer, doctor, or representative of another profession. The payment is often requested as cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency,” a Saskatoon police news release said.

No legitimate authority would make a request like this, the release said.

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Officers have identified a woman between 25 to 35-years-old as a person of interest in the investigation. She has dark hair and a medium build, between five-feet three inches and five-feet eight inches tall, according to the police.

On several occasions, police say the woman was seen wearing dark clothing, a hat and sunglasses.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact the police or Crime Stoppers.