Seniors targeted in phone scams

By Mo Cranker

BELLEVILLE – Scams directed at senior citizens has hit the Quinte area and surrounding regions over the last several months, police say.

An 83-year-old woman and her 85-year-old husband from Alnwick-Haldimand Township in Northumberland County may be out as much as $60,000, according to the OPP.

Police say the scam artist(s) convinced the woman to hand over money, buy computer products and provide bank account numbers used to transfer large amounts of money from the couple’s line of credit. For months, the woman received phone calls saying she had won a lottery in Spain and would receive $2.5 million from Reader’s Digest if she forked over $4,000. She also received a call asking for help in assisting police and in return for a reward.

Northumberland OPP media relations officer Karen German told QNet News that the investigation continues and she could not release any further details.

She confirmed, however, that there are no other victims directly related to the case.

Since January of this year there have been 98 fraud complaints in Northumberland, German said.

Meanwhile, Belleville Police reported last week that a city resident was the target of an attempted scam. A woman complained to police after a person claiming to be with the Canadian Police Association phoned her seeking donations for an anti-bullying campaign. The woman was asked for her Visa or MasterCard number over the phone. When she asked the caller to send some literature to her home, the caller then immediately hung up.

Police say some of the most common phone frauds offer prizes and jobs. They are warning people not to give out financial information over the phone, and to be aware of offers that sound too good to be true.