June 3, 2022, Niagara Falls, Ont. – Every year scammers target Canadians, many in the Niagara region. In 2021, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received 104,295 fraud reports from across Canada with associated losses in excess of $379,000,000.
In February and March 2022, the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) investigated 57 incidents involving the grandparent scam. Collectively, victims paid scammers approximately $150,000 in cash drawn from financial institutions. The money has yet to be recovered.
In May 2022, the NRPS began an investigation after an elderly couple purchased $22,000 in gift cards from three different retailers. None of the five involved salesclerks questioned the purchases with the victims. The $22,000 was given to the scammers. The money has not been recovered.
The NRPS has previously conducted awareness and educational efforts directed towards potential victims and their trusted family members.
The Point Sale Scam Intervention Program (POSSIP) has been designed with detectives from the NRPS Central Fraud Unit to create awareness and education for retail and financial institution employees with the goal of providing intervention at the point of sale.
Retailers and financial institutions are encouraged to download the education program for their employees to view. The education program works in conjunction with a NRPS poster to support the employees which is also available for download.
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