Grandparent scam has become a major problem

Qiam Noori,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A grandparent scam is trending in the City of Wetaskiwin, says the RCMP.

The city’s police officer in charge, John Spaans, at his annual town hall meeting on Monday, May 6, said that they’ve recorded at least 31 such frauds in the city this year.

“This is a major problem in Wetaskiwin right now. It doesn’t affect many people, but the people that are affected, it is taking a lot of money.”

Spaans added, “as of recent weeks, the victims were victimized with thousands of dollars. I am talking about a six-figure amount of money.”

RCMP said another major crime in the city is break and entries into storage units.

According to Spaans, more than 19 such cases have been filed since the beginning of this year in the city.

“Since January, we have had over 19 storage breaks and entries. It’s happening a lot,” Spaans detailed.

Spaans stated that they’ve asked the owners of the units to install GPS-tracked devices as well as security cameras at their properties.

The RCMP has also recorded 451 cases of domestic violence in the city this year. Spaans says that while this number shows an eight per cent decrease in crime compared to last year, they would like it to be much lower.

However, he added that solving such crimes is difficult as they often happen behind closed doors.

Qiam Noori,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Ponoka News