Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K

Ontario Provincial Police say they have “disrupted” an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparents scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to investigators, four of the 14 suspects remain in custody while the other 10 have been released on bail. The charges they face include involvement in organized crime groups, extortion, impersonating a police officer, and fraud, police said. “They would impersonate police officers, judges, lawyers, and loved ones, preying on grandparents who believed they were trying to help family members in trouble.”Chatland said in many cases, the suspects utilized “money mules” or couriers to collect large sums of money from the victims.According to Chatland, the information the suspects used to defraud the victims was publicly available on the internet.“This investigation is far more than fraud,” Chatland said.

“Fraud is massively underreported,” he said. “A lot of that has to do with victimization, with victim-blaming and people just feeling deceived. It is the nature of fraud.”Gas prices in Ontario jumped 14 cents overnight. Here's when they will dropAnger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey

A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.

Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Spring storm across much of Eastern Canada, power outages spread in Quebec, OntarioEnvironment Canada issued snowfall warnings for much of Eastern Canada, including in Ontario and Quebec.
Source: CTVNews - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

14 suspects arrested in grandparent scam targeting seniors across Canada: Ontario policeAn interprovincial investigation into an 'emergency grandparents scam' that targeted seniors across Canada has led to the arrest of 14 suspects, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Source: CTVToronto - 🏆 9. / 84 Read more »

Ontario budget falls short on investments in northern Ontario, say advocatesSt. Boniface Hospital is a national leader for cardiac care, according to a recent study by the Canadian Institute for Health Information
Source: CBCTBay - 🏆 42. / 63 Read more »

Ontario Power Generation employees top Ontario's 2023 Sunshine ListFive employees at Ontario Power Generation are in the top 10 earners on the province's so-called sunshine list for 2023, with the province's highest salary sitting at $1.93 million.
Source: CBCToronto - 🏆 51. / 61 Read more »

Brock Purdy gets $739K performance-based bonusExplore stories from Atlantic Canada.
Source: SaltWire Network - 🏆 45. / 63 Read more »

Mi casa norte de Ontario: hundreds of Latin American newcomers changing the face of northern OntarioSynara Saab (right) and her husband André and son Luiz Felipe were all smiles when they boarded an airplane in Brazil 18 months ago to begin their new life in Sault Ste. Marie.
Source: CBCTBay - 🏆 42. / 63 Read more »