The Manitoba government, through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, is returning some of the money stolen in a scam that targeted vulnerable seniors, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe announced in a media release on Thursday (Dec 21).
“We are pleased to be able to get money back to the victims of this scam,” said Wiebe. “It is through the great work by the Criminal Property Forfeiture Branch and the Winnipeg Police Service that not only were the people responsible for this scam arrested, but money also returned.”
Over the span of 10 days in July 2022, two Ontario residents were able to scam 14 Manitobans, stealing a total of $145,400 through what is known as the ‘grandparent scam’. A typical scam involves someone researching potential victims by reviewing obituaries and internet searches, and then calling the victim posing as a grandchild in legal trouble and have been arrested by police, needing cash in order to be released.
In these particular cases, the victims agreed to provide the cash and were instructed to write a specific file number on the envelope containing the money. The scammers then picked up the envelope from the victim’s home and police were able to secure surveillance footage of the scammers in an illegally rented vehicle. Winnipeg Police Service officers were able to recover eight different envelopes with the false file numbers written by the victims, totalling $75,200. The two scammers were arrested and charged with fraud and theft.
“It is important to note that scams like these can happen to anyone,” said Wiebe. “The people committing crimes like these can be quite convincing and will play on the emotions of the victim, which makes this even more upsetting. The police and courts will never send someone to your house to collect money.”
The Criminal Property Forfeiture Branch seizes assets or proceeds from criminal activity to support law enforcement and victims, the minister noted.
For more information on the grandparent scam and how to report crimes like these, visit the Brandon Police Service at Contact Us (brandon.ca) or in Winnipeg at Frauds & scams | City of Winnipeg
