Police services in Ontario are alerting residents that the ‘grandparent scam,’ that’s been targeting mainly older citizens over several years, is still a looming financial threat and getting more sophisticated.
Brantford police (BPS) spokesperson Robin Matthews-Osmond says a new variation involves a scammer posing as the victim’s son or daughter text messaging from an unrecognizable phone number.
“The text often starts with ‘Hi, Mom,’ and continues to tell the victim that their phone has been damaged, they cannot access their banking information and need money urgently,” Osmond said in an email.
Scammers are now targeting older adults via text messaging with a variation of the “Grandparent Scam”. Learn more about the scam and how to protect yourself here: https://t.co/1YxQrXMLaQ pic.twitter.com/DLm1g4Bt5V
— Brantford Police (@BrantfordPolice) July 10, 2023
“They then ask for an e-transfer of funds.”
Matthews-Osmond says if the victim questions the email address the money is being sent to, the fraudster will often tell the victim they owe money to a loan shark or are using a borrowed phone.
She says BPS, so far, has not received any recent reports or had any victims of the fraud, but says several police services in the province have noted “this type of activity in their communities.”
“By issuing the advisory, we hope to prevent anyone from falling victim to this type of scam within our community.”
In May, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) alerted residents of a simlar ’emergency text message’ scheme which involved a loved one stating they dropped or damaged their mobile phone and is using someone else’s.
The CAFC is receiving reports of an emergency text message. The message will claim to be from a loved one stating that they have dropped or damaged their cellphone. The suspect will provide an alternate phone number to send a text message. pic.twitter.com/2EDPDgYWqL
— Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (@canantifraud) May 17, 2023
The text often asked for funds to pay for repairs or to help pay a bill.
The CAFC says personal information shared on social media platforms and other sites, like dating apps, typically are where names and details about loved ones are picked up.
Security technology specialist with Beauceron David Shipley says despite the grandparent scam being around for a while, it still seems to have momentum through reinvention.
“Criminals will do their homework, using public information on Google, social media to figure out targets and get to know details so they can make their scam more real,” Shipley said.
“Now, with articicial intelligence (AI), there’s even the opportunity to clone the voices of grandkids.”
The Federal Communications Commision in the U.S. recently warned of “bad actors” using artificial intelligence to mimic voices, often covincing the elderly, that their loved ones are in distress.
Using short audio samples, AI tools have the ability “to hold a conversation” by speaking whatever an imposter types into a keyboard.
“Always use caution if you are being pressured for information or to send money quickly,” The FCC said.
“Scammers often try to bully victims into transferring money through a mobile payment app, by wiring money, or by purchasing gift cards or money orders.”
In 2022, the CAFC reported more than $9.2 million lost to emergency scams, a drastic increase from $2.4 million in 2021.
Ontario reported over $5.4 million in losses in 2022.
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