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Lethbridge police have charged a Vermilion man with fraud after being caught allegedly trying to swindle a senior through a grandparent scam.
On Monday, Lethbridge police responded to a report of a 75-year-old woman told by a man posing as a lawyer that her grandson had been in a collision, arrested and needed bail money. The man told her he would send someone to collect the money and to write a code of letters and numbers on an envelope, police said in a Wednesday news release.
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The senior then gave $3,400 in cash to a male who came to her home. While the male was still at the senior’s residence, she received a second call from the fake lawyer informing her that $3,400 was not enough and that she would be contacted again to hand over more money.
She was told by the fake lawyer to avoid discussing the matter with anyone, but the senior contacted a family member who confirmed her grandson was not in any trouble and called police.
After police arrived, the senior got another call telling her that someone would be coming back to her residence to pick up the extra cash.
Shortly afterwards, a male arrived at the woman’s home to collect the money, and police arrested him without incident. His vehicle was located nearby and seized.
After getting search warrants for the motel where the male was staying and his vehicle, Lethbridge police said they recovered some of the cash the senior had provided.
Vermilion resident Dimitar Stamatov, 41, has been charged with fraud under $5,000, attempted fraud over $5,000 and false pretenses. After a bail hearing, Stamatov was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court May 14.
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“Lethbridge police commend the victim for contacting a family member despite being instructed not to speak to anyone about the matter,” said police Wednesday.
Lethbridge police continue to investigate, believing there might be more victims, and are asking anyone with a similar experience to come forward.
“LPS is advising citizens to be aware of the grandparent scam and encouraging residents to talk with their older relatives about what to do if they receive a scam call,” said Lethbridge police.
Lethbridge police has provided tips to seniors to help them spot grandparent scams.
- Always verify the caller’s identity and the legitimacy of their story. Call the grandchild directly and if they can’t be reached, contact their parents, siblings or another relative who can help verify the story.
- If a caller claims to be a police officer, lawyer, judge or other official call the police station or courthouse directly to confirm their identity and the legitimacy of the call.
- Do not use any phone numbers or other contact details provided by the caller to try and verify information.
- Do not provide money, gift cards, bitcoin or any other form of payment to someone you do not know.
- Bail is always paid in person at the police station, courthouse or correctional centre, and receipt of payment is provided. Police and court officials will never attend someone’s home to pick up cash.
- Never disclose any personal information over the phone to someone you don’t know.
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