Calgary seniors out thousands of dollars after being targeted by scammer

Calgary police are after a man who may be targeting seniors and scamming them out of large sums of cash.

The CPS says two people were charged last month in connection with a series of incidents in which elderly Calgarians were swindled. But reports of fraud kept coming in.

Six seniors say they’ve been taken for more than a combined $50,000 in recent weeks.

Police say recent reports suggest elderly victims received calls from someone pretending to be a loved one. That person says they’ve been arrested and asks the senior for bail money, with the CPS noting “oftentimes, the amount is for thousands of dollars.”

“In some instances, offenders are impersonating law enforcement officers. It is important to note that Calgary Police Service officers, and other law enforcement officers, are not involved in collecting bail money from citizens over the phone,” the CPS says in a statement.

Investigators are now looking for help in identifying a suspect, believed to be between 40 and 45 years old and driving a dark-coloured SUV.

The CPS says the man has a slim build and is about 5’8″ tall.

Police are urging Calgarians to have conversations with seniors in their lives about these kinds of scams and to remind them to never give money to anyone who contacts them over the phone.

You can verify any police report numbers with the CPS if you suspect you may be speaking with a scammer.