Our provincial government is returning some of the money that was stolen from vulnerable seniors through what is referred to as the Grandparent Scam.

Over the course of 10 days in July 2022, two Ontario residents were able to scam 14 Manitobans, stealing a total of $145,000 through this scam. The province says 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. The scammer says they have been arrested by police and need 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.

"We are pleased to be able to get money back to the victims of this scam," says Manitoba Justice Minister Matt 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."

Wiebe says it is important to note that scams like these can happen to anyone. He notes 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. Wiebe adds neither the police nor the courts will ever send someone to your house to collect money.

The province has confirmed that the 14 victims included residents from Winnipeg and from outside the city.

The Criminal Property Forfeiture Branch seizes assets or proceeds from criminal activity to support law enforcement and victims.

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