30-05-2025
Vancouver Island residents defrauded of $3.5K in fake cop scam: RCMP
The RCMP logo is seen in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Mounties on Vancouver Island are warning of a scam wherein a fraudster impersonates a police officer to extort family members for bail.
The West Shore RCMP said two residents have lost a combined $3,500 to a scammer claiming to be an officer from the detachment.
On May 2, a resident received a phone call from someone purporting to be 'Sgt. Thomas Scott from the RCMP,' who told the victim their family member was arrested and they needed to transfer $2,000 to a third party for bail, according to police.
'After transferring the money, the victim tried calling their family member, who confirmed that they had not been arrested and had no interaction with the police,' a Friday news release from the detachment reads.
On May 23, once again a person got a call from 'Sgt. Thomas Scott' asking for $1,500 worth of gift cards to bail out a family member.
Police say the victim bought the gift cards and sent information to the fraudster, but then became suspicious and called the family member, who confirmed they also were not arrested and had no interaction with police.
'We want the public to be aware of this fraudster who is pretending to be a member of the RCMP and targeting residents of the West Shore,' said Cpl. Nancy Saggar, in the release. 'Under no circumstances would police, whether that be RCMP or a municipal department, ever direct you to transfer money or make any kind of payment.'
Mounties asked anyone who falls victim to a fraud, or has information about these specific incidents, to call 250-474-2264 or Crime Stoppers.
