(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

Grandparents in Kelowna and West Kelowna have fallen victim to a scam to the tune of $20,000 believing they were helping their grandkids.

Several senior residents have been taken advantage of recently, according to a press release from Kelowna RCMP.

“These recent incidents are unique in that one of the suspects is actually attending in person to collect the cash, whereas these types of scams are usually faceless and done via an online transaction,” Kelowna RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Michael Gauthier said in the release.

Most of the scams have used a similar story. The scammer impersonates the grandchild or a lawyer and tells the grandparent they need money for bail following an alleged arrest.

The fraudsters convince the victim to withdraw a certain amount of cash then the money is picked up in person, sometimes at the victim’s home.

In most cases a woman wearing a face covering has picked up the cash and left on foot.

“It is imperative that we have these tough conversations with our vulnerable family members to avoid these types of incidents,” Cpl. Gauthier said.

“Fortunately, we do have some reports advising us of the attempt only, foiled by the individual calling their grandchild directly or family to confirm their wellbeing.

"We have also had cases where an astute bank employee suspected something suspicious and through conversation was able to identify the scam and ultimately prevent them from carrying through with it.”

If an unusual request for money comes over the phone, or online, police advise people to call a trusted family member or police for advice.

RCMP are still investigating these incidents and are asking anyone who might have been a victim of a similar offence to phone police and report it to their local police.

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