Ontario Provincial Police announced 14 people from Montreal have been arrested, charged, and linked to the emergency grandparent scam widespread across Canada.
An intelligence probe led by the OPP anti-rackets branch that began in September 2022 became known as "Project Sharp" in February 2023 as a joint-forces operation with the OPP criminal investigation branch and 11 Ontario and Quebec police services.
The police services involved included the Sûreté Du Québec, and police services from Halton Region, York Region, Toronto, Hamilton, Peel, Durham Region, Ottawa, Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal, Service de Police de Laval, and Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario. Additional assistance was provided by United States Homeland Security Investigations, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
"Our dedicated officers tirelessly pursued justice in this complex investigation by working diligently to investigate, disrupt and dismantle the criminal organization targeting vulnerable individuals across the country," said OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns in a news release. "Frauds can cause significant emotional and financial distress to the victims, and our officers remain steadfast in their mission to safeguard our communities."
The emergency grandparent scam is aimed at seniors with a landline telephone. The scam caller pretends to be an officer or a lawyer with the victim's grandchild or family member in custody. The scammer asks for bail money to secure the family member's release.
In most cases, report police, unsuspecting couriers known as "money mules" were used to collect the money.
Victims are often instructed not to speak to anyone due to a "gag order" the scammers claim is in effect.
Police estimate the group of suspects they've arrested is responsible for over $2.2 million in reported losses Canada-wide.
Just this year, between Jan. 22 and April 8, there were 126 identified victims who reported losses totalling $739,000. Police say an "organized crime group" was running the fraud. Most of the victims live in Ontario, and were between 46 and 95 years old.
Of those 126 victims, 15 were re-victimized multiple times and lost more than $243,000.
According to the police news release, investigators worked with banks and the Canadian Bankers Association to prevent or recover more than $559,000 in losses.
Police laid 56 charges in total against the 14 people arrested.
"Project Sharp has disrupted the activities of a well-organized crime group using the grandparent scam that has affected numerous victims across Canada," said Benoit Dubé, Deputy Director General, Criminal Investigations, Sûrete du Québec, in the news release. "The unity between law enforcement partners demonstrated our commitment to stopping these crimes and preventing further victimization. Cooperation and intelligence sharing were key to the success of this operation."
Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of the emergency grandparent scam or any fraud is urged to contact their local police, the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca. You can also report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. For resources on scams and fraud, visit antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
