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'Bail bondsman' adds new twist to grandson scam in Nanaimo

In a new twist on the grandparent scam seen recently in Nanaimo, a fraudster shows up at the victim’s home claiming to be a bail bondsman who needs money to supposedly keep a loved one out of jail, RCMP say.
Phone scams(2)
Two Nanaimo incidents on April 19 involved a fraudster appearing at a victim'’s home claiming to be a bail bondsman, police said.

Police say the so-called grandson scam has reappeared in ­Nanaimo — with a twist.

The ongoing scam involves a fraudster claiming to be a grandchild who is in trouble and needs the relative to talk to a lawyer or a police officer. In recent cases, the fraudster claims to be a bail bondsman — and sometimes shows up on the victim’s ­doorstep. “This scam has been around for years but every so often another layer or twist is added to it,” said RCMP Reserve Const. Gary O’Brien. “In the latest version, it’s the bail bondsman.”

Two Nanaimo incidents on April 19 involved a fraudster appearing at a victim’s home claiming to be a bail bondsman, police said. Those cases began with a phone call claiming the grandchild was in a motor-vehicle incident, adding details like a pedestrian or a pregnant woman had been hit. The scammers told their targets that payment to a bail bondsman was necessary, and that there was a “gag order” in place preventing the victim from talking to anyone about the situation.

Police said the same suspect seems to have been involved in both cases. Each time, he appeared at the home at the same time the victim was on the phone with a “lawyer” who was setting things up.

He is described as dark-skinned, possibly with a Middle Eastern accent. He has a slim build, wears his hair in an Afro style, and wore a dark COVID-type of mask and a dark hoodie.

In this type of scam, victims are often told by a phoney lawyer or police officer to contact Purolator or FedEx to send money to Quebec or Ontario, while others are told to pay a bail bondsman who will come to their home to get the money. Victims of such scams often lose thousands of dollars, Nanaimo RCMP said.

If you receive a phone call that sounds anything like this, it’s a scam, O’Brien said.

“Do not engage with them and hang up the phone. Afterwards, be sure to tell your friends and family about the call so they do not fall for it.

jbell@timescolonist.com

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