The Saskatoon Police Service Economic Crime Section says police have received reports in recent days of fraudsters actively targeting victims in Saskatoon.

The police advise that fraudsters contact the victims by telephone and claim to be a family member, often a grandchild, in an emergency as a result of a traffic collision or drug possession. Payment is then demanded in cash or cryptocurrency for bail and legal fees.

The police stress that any legitimate authority would never demand payment as cash or cryptocurrency over the phone.

The fraudsters also often instruct the victims to lie to their financial institution to withdraw funds. They may also falsely state that a gag order is in place preventing the victim from discussing the matter with anyone else.

Saskatoon police say the important thing is to not panic and always call family, friends, and/or the authority in question directly to verify the information and fact check the call.

If you become a victim of fraud, contact your local police or report it to the Saskatoon Police Service.

Other things to watch for:

– The fraudsters may also work in tandem and connect the victim to another person claiming to be a police officer, lawyer, doctor, or representative of another profession. The payment is often requested as cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.

-If you receive a suspicious phone call, ask important questions of the caller to verify their identity but refrain from offering additional details yourself.

-Hang up and call that family member directly to verify their location and well-being and/or connect with other relatives to fact check the call.

-If the caller is claiming to be law enforcement or a representative of another profession, hang up and call that authority directly to verify the information.

Fraudsters leverage urgency and panic to coerce the victim into complying with their requests and demands.