EPS lays fraud charges in 6 cases of the 'grandparent scam'
Edmonton Police Service (File photo)
A 30-year-old man is facing six charges of fraud over $5,000 after police claim he targeted seniors with what's known as a "grandparent scam."
Edmonton Police Service began investigating several cases involving Lucas Kopijewski on March 11 and EPS announced his arrest on Monday.
The scam starts with phone calls to "vulnerable elderly persons," police said. The caller poses as a grandchild who is in trouble and needs money.
“These incidents are occurring all across Canada,” EPS Detective Pierre Lemire stated in a news release from the service.
“There have been over 36 complainants in the Edmonton area since March of 2022 and there are new complainants being identified every week.”
EPS officers are working with Calgary Police Service and the RCMP to identify more suspects.
Anyone with any information is asked to call EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone and anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
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