West Vancouver senior helps police catch alleged bail scammer who demanded $15K
CTV
Police in West Vancouver say a local senior and her son helped them foil a would-be scammer this week.
Police in West Vancouver say a local senior and her son helped them foil a would-be scammer this week.
The 84-year-old woman received a call on Monday, Feb. 14, from someone identifying himself as a police officer and alleging that the woman's friend had been arrested and needed $15,000 for bail, according to a news release from the West Vancouver Police Department.
The scammer said he would pick up the money at the woman's house the following day, police said.
The intended victim told her son about the call, and he called the WVPD.
Police worked with the woman and her son to arrange a meeting with the suspect to pick up the money. Shortly after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15, officers arrested a 31-year-old man from Vancouver in West Vancouver's Caulfeild neighbourhood.
The suspect has since been released, pending a report to the B.C. Prosecution Service recommending charges, police said.
“This woman did absolutely the right thing by telling her son about the strange phone call,” said Const. Kevin Goodmurphy, spokesperson for the WVPD, in the release.
