A new telephone scam is targeting parents by telling them their children have been charged with impaired driving and need bail money to get out of jail.
Valerie Simms says she got a bizarre telephone call last week from someone claiming to be her son.
The caller, who used the name of one of Simms’ sons, said he’d been in an accident in Quebec and had been charged with impaired driving.
He said his voice sounded different because his nose was broken and his face was badly damaged.
“He was very upset,” Simms said. “He was crying. He was telling me how much he loved me.”
Then someone who claimed to be a public defender, over two phone calls, managed to scam Simms out of more than $1,800.
Simms realized she had been scammed when her brother in Montreal said her son had in fact not been in any trouble.
It’s unlikely that Simms will get any of her money back, however. Once money is wire transferred, it’s almost impossible to find out who took the money.
To avoid these kinds of scams, Western Union says you should never wire money for an emergency you haven’t confirmed or to anyone you don’t know. Internet purchases and rental payments should not be made using wire transfers either.
With a Consumer Alert from Pat Foran
Source: CTV News