WIIKWEMKOONG—A resident of the Wikwemikong Nursing Home thwarted a would-be scammer earlier this month.
Helen Oswald told The Expositor that she received a phone call Friday night from a young man proclaiming to be her grandson.
“I got a call one Friday from someone with a really bad head cold,” she said. “he said, ‘Hello, grandma. I don’t want to scare you and I don’t want to make you mad’ and asked if I could do him a favour.”
When Ms. Oswald asked the young man on the phone what kind of favour he needed he proceeded to tell her that he was at a wedding when he borrowed a friend’s car and got into a car accident. The grandmother asked where he was and he replied ‘Toronto.’ Alarm bells immediately went off.
Ms. Oswald’s grandson lives in Calgary.
Suspecting a scam, she then asked the person what his name was. He hung up.
“He sounded so much like my grandson,” Ms. Oswald shared. “I’m in the Wiky Nursing Home, so they’ve got this scam on file here now. I wanted to share my story; if I can help someone else from falling for it.”
“If you suspect that you may be a target of fraud, or if you have already sent funds, don’t be embarrassed—you’re not alone, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre notes. If you want to report a fraud, or if you need more information, contact The Canadian Anti- Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501.
