Elderly Community Member Narrowly Misses Becoming Victim to Grandparent Scam

On March 31st, 2022, an elderly community member had mailed a package with a large sum of money, believing it would be received by a family member in need. Little did the man know at the time, he was being emotionally manipulated by scammers, who were attempting to execute a grandparent scam on him. Fortunately, at the last minute, he realized he was being scammed.

In the middle of the night, the man drove directly to GSPS headquarters to report the incident that was taking place. As front entrance doors are locked in the evening for staff safety, the man was unsure of how to enter the building. (After hours, the front lobby is accessible by ringing the doorbell to the right of the main doors. There is also an emergency phone mounted on the wall outside). He called 911 and after speaking with a Communicator of our 911 Emergency Communications Centre, an Officer was dispatched to assist him. 

The Officer immediately assisted the man into his cruiser and brought him into the front entrance of GSPS headquarters. Officers ensured the man was covered up and warm. Another Officer brought the man a cup of coffee.

In the man’s words:

“During the interview, a few more officers arrived and all of them showed so much empathy and compassion by making sure that I was comfortable. Let me tell you, that this loving service along with the coffee immediately helped me to raise my internal shivering temperature along with my spirit.

The officer advised me to contact the Purolator service ASAP to stop the transmission of the package and he also advised me that the police would be doing the same. Finished with the necessary business, the officer asked me where my car was parked and he definitely would not let me walk back to it. Putting me carefully back into the cruiser again he drove me back to my parked car. There he told me to stay seated, collected my car keys, started my car and made sure that it was okay to drive. Then he helped me get into my car. When I was seated he asked me twice if I was absolutely sure I was able to drive back home. Telling him that I was able to drive, and by now being in really good emotional condition again, I certainly would be able to drive myself home. Then this gentleman waited until I was driving off before he went back to his regular duty.

To sum it up, Purolator called me by 10:00 a.m. that the Greater Sudbury Police Service as well as the Quebec RCMP had stopped transmission of my package and it would be returned to be picked up in a few days. And it was! I'm sure that you will know how much of a relief this was!

Feeling that it is my duty to pass on this letter of heartfelt thanks for the excellent and so very compassionate service I received from your force during the problem of a criminal so-called "grandparent scam" which involved the cash payment of $10,000. I would like to convey to you my opinion that you can definitely be extremely proud of your force. Because this occurrence showed not only extremely efficient service, but also that this service is provided with empathy and compassion!”