Fraudulent Calls from Canada

03/27/2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Sauk County Sheriff’s Department has been receiving complaints about fraud involving calls from Canada. In these phone calls the victim is told that a relative of theirs has been arrested in Canada and needs bail money. The person who calls will often impersonate a law enforcement officer or the relative that was supposedly arrested. The person will then ask the victim to send money to Canada via Western Union or Money Gram. If the victim does send the money they will most likely be contacted again by the same person and told that more money is needed for “unforeseen” circumstances. The criminal from Canada will most likely keep calling and saying more money is needed until the victim refuses to send any more money. This scam is primarily targeting senior citizens who are told that their grandchildren have been arrested. The caller may know personal information about you or your relative but this information is often easily obtained on the internet. Once the money is sent to Canada via Western Union or Money Gram it becomes untraceable. If you should receive a phone call as described above DO NOT send any money unless you can verify that the relative is in Canada. If you can not verify the location of the relative ask the caller for a call back number they can be reached at after you verify that your relative is actually in Canada. DO NOT send any money without being 100% sure the person in question is actually in Canada.

The phone number listed on your caller ID will most likely be a “spoofed” number. This means that the fraudster has made a different phone number than the one they are really using show up on your Caller ID. If they give you an address to send the money order to, it is most likely a fake address. Once the money order is sent, it can be picked up anywhere no matter what address you sent it to. If you are ever asked to send money to anyone be suspicious.

If you have any questions about a phone call you have received please call the Sauk County Sheriff’s Department to ask about it before you send any money.

Chip Meister-Sheriff
Sauk County Sheriff’s Department