Two Toronto women have been arrested and charged following an investigation into a recent scam targeting Thunder Bay residents.
The Thunder Bay Police Service became aware of an incident involving what is colloquially known as the grandparent scam on July 12.
Police learned a local victim was contacted by a person claiming to be their granddaughter. Another fraudster then came onto the line and, acting as a police officer, told the victim they would need to provide money to bail their granddaughter out of prison.
The victim complied and met one of the suspected fraudsters in-person to provide them with thousands of dollars. Police learned the victim was contacted once more by the suspects, who demanded to meet again with the victim to receive more money.
As a result of their continued investigation, members of the Break and Enter and Robbery (BEAR) Unit located and identified two female suspects.
They were placed under arrest without further incident in the afternoon hours of Wednesday, July 13. Both were transported to the TBPS headquarters at 1200 Balmoral street.
Andrea BARCZYNSKI, 20, of Toronto, is charged with:
• Fraud Over $5,000
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
Anastasia PALTSEVA, 21, of Toronto, is charged with:
• Fraud Over $5,000
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
Both appeared in bail court on Thursday, July 14 and were remanded into custody with future appearance dates.
Please remember, the best way to avoid being victimized by scams like this is to hang up and attempt to reach the person, or other family members, independently to verify the story. Please take time to speak to your more vulnerable friends and family members who may be more aggressively targeted by these kinds of scams.
To learn more about frauds and scams visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre here: https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca
Incident Date
Location
Thunder Bay