Yesterday, a Chatham woman contacted police to report a fraud. The 75-year old woman received a telephone call from a man purporting to be a lawyer. The man advised the woman that her grandson was currently in jail in Quebec as a result of a motor vehicle collision. He asked for $1400 to bail him out of jail. The woman attended Western Union and wired $1474.50 to the man in Quebec. Shortly after the transfer, the woman received another call from the man stating that he also required $1200 to cover the damages of the motor vehicle collision. Now suspicious, the woman called police.
The Chatham-Kent Police Service reminds citizens that should you receive a phone call from a family member or lawyer asking for a large sum of money due to an unforeseen circumstance, please don’t panic. Contact other family members to validate the story. Never give personal information or wire money to a stranger.