Seniors lost $4.2M to grandparent scams this year. Here's how one Ontario man had $8,000 stolen
When the phone rang, Stuart Irvine of Mississauga, Ont., wasn’t sure who was on the other end of the line, but then a voice said, “Grampy, it’s me.”
Irvine said “That’s when I thought ‘That sounds like my grandson Cody,’ so I stupidly said ‘Cody is that you?’ And that’s all they needed.”
Irvine says he was told his grandson needed bail money after narcotics were found in his friend's car. Irvine also says he was told not to tell any other family members or friends as there was a gag order in the case.
He said he was directed to get $8,000 cash from the bank and a courier would come to his home to pick up the money.
That’s when Irvine said he decided to call his grandson Cody directly.
“I said to him, ‘Were you downtown yesterday?’ and he said, ‘No. Was I supposed to be?’ That's when the thunder roared and the crash came and I thought ‘I’ve been had.’"
According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), the grandparent scam is now rampant across the country as criminals take advantage of grandparents and their love for their grandchildren.
“It's difficult to say why we are seeing such an increase because reporting (of the grandparent emergency scam) is on pace to nearly double this year,” Jeff Horncastle with communications at CAFC told CTV News Toronto.
CAFC said that Canadians lost $2.4 million to the grandparent and emergency scam in 2021, however, that number has almost doubled to $4.2 million already in 2022.
Irvine said looking back something didn’t feel right and he wishes he would have followed his instincts.
“In my mind I was constantly thinking this could be a scam. But I didn't have the guts to stop it because I was thinking of my grandson" said Irvine.
The CAFC advises to be suspicious of calls that demand immediate action, remember law enforcement officers will not seek immediate payment, never send money to anyone under uncertain conditions and that if the situation doesn’t feel right don’t be afraid to say no.
Irvine says he wanted to share what happened to him to warn other grandparents and wants to remind them to never be the first to say their grandchild's name. If called, Irvine says to ask questions only your family members would know such as the name of a family pet, a siblings name or where you spend the holidays.
“I would say it's the worst thing that has happened with money in my life," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
BREAKING Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are moving on to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.