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Mounties are urging caution after a couple in Chase was duped out of thousands of dollars yesterday after they fell victim to the so-called ‘Emergency Scam’.

Chase RCMP say a woman called to report that her husband had answered a phone call yesterday from a man who was crying.

“The male caller said something like, “Dad, I’ve been in a bad accident in Mexico, I’m injured and I’m in jail – you’ll get a phone call from my lawyer next,”” noted RCMP Sgt. Barry Kennedy.

He says while the man noted that the voice did not sound like his son, he assumed it was because the caller claimed that he was injured and was crying.

“The ‘lawyer’ phoned, stating that $3,000 was needed to be sent as soon as possible – to have their son released immediately from jail – otherwise he would be held for a month,” added Kennedy. “The so-called ‘lawyer; guided them through the process of sending the money by MoneyGram, which was done at the post office.”

Kennedy notes the couple’s son had been in Mexico recently but they weren’t sure if he was back home.

“Sadly, the complainant realized too late that they were victims of a scam,” he added.

Revelstoke RCMP report two similar incidents

Mounties in Revelstoke meanwhile say a local resident got a similar call today around 10:30 a.m. from someone who pretended to be a close friend.

In this instance, the fraudster claimed he was in jail and needed bail money after he was in an accident and had been drinking. The ask was $2,500 which was to be e-transferred to a ‘lawyer’, who supposedly practiced law in the Lower Mainland.

“The victim wired the funds electronically after they received a second call from a person who identified themselves as the friend’s legal counsel,” Sgt. Chris Dodds, the Revelstoke RCMP Detachment Commander said.

Dodds says a few hours later, another resident reported a similar call from someone posing as his grandson claiming to be in jail after a drunk driving accident.

“Fortunately the resident contacted the Revelstoke RCMP non-emergency line and a police dispatcher advised the man not to send any money as the matter was a scam. Police managed to personally contact the man’s grandson and ensure his well-being,” he added, in a statement.

So far this year, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says 19,641 Canadians have been tricked out of $79.5 million after they fell victim to a variety of scams.

“Each of these occurrences, are truly unfortunate situations. Whether the scammer is successful in obtaining funds, or not, these sorts of calls can cause deep concern and be stressful for most,” noted Southeast District RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.

“These fraudsters rely on emotional pleas for help and take advantage of a parent or grandparent’s concern for a child or even a close friends concern for a companion and exploit it to their advantage.”

Police are asking people to report suspicious calls to the RCMP to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.