Sudbury police teach seniors how to avoid becoming fraud victims

Beware of the grandparent scam A Sudbury woman says she caught on to a scam when someone called claiming to be a loved one in trouble. Lyndsay Aelick reports.

The Greater Sudbury Police Service is offering fraud presentations at area libraries over the next few months.

It’s information to help all age groups from falling victim to scams and frauds that, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, cost victims more than $530 million last year.

Lise Landry leads the information session about scams and frauds on behalf of the Sudbury police. She teaches people how artificial intelligence is being used in the grandparent scam.

“The most common way that they will use the AI is they will go onto a social media website they will grab a snippet of your grandchild’s voice and from that they will create an entire persona,” Landry said.

“When you are talking on the phone, you actually think you are talking to your grandchild.”

She has advice for families to avoid falling victim to scams claiming a loved one is in trouble.

“Set up a password -- not a word that you would use in normal conversation, something kooky, silly whatever,” Landry said.

“Make sure that your children and grandchildren are aware of the password and if they ever do need something in an emergency situation where they do need money.”

The Greater Sudbury Public Library invited police to do fraud and scam presentations at area libraries over the next few months to get the word out to people of all ages.

Sudbury scams Lise Landry leads the information session about scams and frauds on behalf of Sudbury police. She teaches people how artificial intelligence is being used in the grandparent scam. (Alana Everson/CTV News)

“It is a situation that can place them at risk of identity theft funds from their savings accounts or chequing accounts. They could actually lose all of their savings in a fraud,” said Suzanne Leclair a client education programmer with the Greater Sudbury Public Library.

Landry said some older people feel shame in reporting that they are a victim of fraud.

“A lot of older adults specifically will feel that if they admit they’ve been scammed, that their children are going to say well they are not capable of taking care of their financial well-being, that they don’t know how to take care of themselves,” she said.

Landry said if people suspect something isn’t legitimate to check the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre’s website where there is a partial list of active scams.