'He was genuinely worried about my safety': Scammer preys on a father's worst fear

The bond between a parent and child is sacred—it is a connection built on years of trust and love.

It's this very bond that scammers are exploiting in a new, heart-wrenching con that's leaving families devastated and bank accounts drained.

One father's tale was a cautionary one after his fear was taken advantage of.


Brisbane local Josie Duncan was well on her way to Canada to visit her 61-year-old father, Jeff Duncan.

In the middle of Josie's travels, Jeff's ordeal began with a phone call that any parent would dread—the voice of their child on the other end, filled with distress and tears.

The caller, who claimed to be Josie, pleaded for immediate financial help.

In a state of panic and the paternal instinct to protect his child, Jeff did not hesitate.


compressed-josie duncan.jpeg
The Duncans were supposed to spend time together on a holiday as Josie travelled from Australia to Canada. Image Credit: GoFundMe/Josie Duncan


He followed the scammer's instructions via text message and sent over $5,000, believing he was helping his daughter out of a dire situation.

The cruel irony was that the real Josie was unreachable mid-flight.

By the time she landed and reassured her father of her safety, the damage had been done.

The money was gone, transferred to an untraceable account, leaving Jeff financially and emotionally shattered.


'What hit me was the look on his face when he finally reached me on FaceTime as I was going through security at the airport,' Josie recounted.

'He was genuinely worried about my safety.'

'Him seeing me safe was such a relief, but I also saw the look of defeat as he realised he had been scammed,' she added.

This scam—called the 'family emergency' or 'grandparent' scams—prey on older people by impersonating a family member in urgent need.

The vicious trick uses artificial intelligence to mimic voices, making the scam more convincing.

The scammers are meticulous as they gather personal information to make their plea as believable as possible.


The aftermath of such scams is often devastating.

For Jeff, a widower who works tirelessly to make ends meet, the loss was more than a financial one.

It was a betrayal of trust and a blow to his spirit.

Josie, who witnessed her father's distress, reported the scam to the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Bank of Canada.

She also started a GoFundMe campaign to re-earn some of her father's losses and to raise awareness about the scam.

The Royal Bank of Canada reminded its clients always to ensure they are dealing with a trusted source when transferring funds.

Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated as of late, and financial institutions and law enforcement are working to prevent and investigate such fraud.


The Duncans case is a reminder to stay vigilant at all costs.

If someone calls claiming to be a family member in distress, hang up and call that family member directly on a known number or reach out to another relative to confirm the story.

The Australian government's Scam Watch is an excellent resource for staying informed about the latest fraudulent schemes.

If you suspect a scam has targeted you, report it immediately to Scam Watch or your local police.

The SDC Forum also has an updated Scam Watch section.
Key Takeaways

  • Father and baker Jeff Duncan was scammed out of his life's savings by a caller impersonating his daughter in distress.
  • The scammer used a voice that sounded remarkably similar to that of his daughter, Josie, and convinced him to transfer over $5000.
  • The victim's daughter reported the situation to the Ontario Police and set up a GoFundMe page to recover some of her father's losses.
  • The Royal Bank of Canada has been working with local authorities to prevent similar scams from happening.
Have you or anyone you know fell victim to these impersonation scams? Share your experiences and tips on avoiding scams in the comments below.
 
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We got a message that said “ mum I dropped my phone in the toilet, I’m using my friends phone“ and they ask for some amount., l can’t remember what it was now. So I texted all the kids and said “ which one of you idiots dropped your phone in the toilet and need money for a new one, or is this a scam?” They all answered. “ IT’S A SCAM” besides we have all our children's and grandchildren bank account details, so we can deposit birthday money into, so the money wouldn’t have gone to a strange account. Nevertheless always check. And as there wasn’t a name to the text, I thought it was also very odd.
 
Hi mousey, why don’t you change the ringtone so you know it’s really from your family? Just a thought.
The only one that had regular contact and rang or visited all the time passed away last month. None of the others would ask for money as they are doing well themselves ❤️
 
Yes I have. Somebody texted me saying , mum you can contact me on this number, I lost my phone and I have an invoice I need to pay straight away. Can you pay it for me and I will give you the money back within 48 hours. Sent me the invoice, wanted $3000. Said I didn't have that much money and best I could do was $900. I paid the money I had. Next day Laura rang me and I said, see you found your phone. Said I never lost it mum, must have been a scam. Rang the bank but they were unable to get the money back.
I was stupid paying it but really thought she was in trouble. Never again will I be scammed like that

Didn't get a phone call. I got a text. It was stupid of me, as I said the time of night I was really tired
So easy to be fooled so try not to feel stupid it can happen to anyone and lucky you didn't loose more.l hope you can recuperate your loss
 
So easy to be fooled so try not to feel stupid it can happen to anyone and lucky you didn't loose more.l hope you can recuperate your loss
No I can't. My bank apparently contacted this other bank but the money was gone. Also it was me who made the transfer so didn't have a leg to stand on. I couldn't lose more cause that's all I had.
Thank you ❤️
 
No I can't. My bank apparently contacted this other bank but the money was gone. Also it was me who made the transfer so didn't have a leg to stand on. I couldn't lose more cause that's all I had.
Thank you ❤️
You’ve had a huge loss recently and stress, depression etc really can, and many times does, make us vulnerable.

I was in a very dark place years ago when I was scammed out of $5000. I look back now and think, “how could I be so naive”, but no one knows how we will react when in a vulnerable state of mind. Many times feelings can overtake rationale. This a reason, not just an excuse.
❤️🌺
 
Yes I have. Somebody texted me saying , mum you can contact me on this number, I lost my phone and I have an invoice I need to pay straight away. Can you pay it for me and I will give you the money back within 48 hours. Sent me the invoice, wanted $3000. Said I didn't have that much money and best I could do was $900. I paid the money I had. Next day Laura rang me and I said, see you found your phone. Said I never lost it mum, must have been a scam. Rang the bank but they were unable to get the money back.
I was stupid paying it but really thought she was in trouble. Never again will I be scammed like that
People have been told for years about this particular scam. It takes seconds to look things up these days.

This is just one warning going back to 2022.
 
Oh dear l am so sorry it's a heck of a lot to loose ❤️
Well I guess it's my own fault. I didn't know at the time this scam was going around. I won't click on links in emails,messages and I hang up on phone calls. I won't get caught again. My Visa and MasterCard were both drained, don't know how they got the accounts but one was Sydney where they actually paid $1,300 to a caterer. I was lucky there because the money from both cards was repaid to my accounts after they both did fraud investigation. I keep my cards locked now.
 
Yes I have. Somebody texted me saying , mum you can contact me on this number, I lost my phone and I have an invoice I need to pay straight away. Can you pay it for me and I will give you the money back within 48 hours. Sent me the invoice, wanted $3000. Said I didn't have that much money and best I could do was $900. I paid the money I had. Next day Laura rang me and I said, see you found your phone. Said I never lost it mum, must have been a scam. Rang the bank but they were unable to get the money back.
I was stupid paying it but really thought she was in trouble. Never again will I be scammed like that
So sorry you got caught out with that one in future don't take the chance of taking those type of calls as gospel. check with the person first.
 
I’ve only ever had one text a few years ago starting off with “Hi mum and dad…”.

My husband (son’s dad), was deceased. Dead giveaway, (excuse the pun).
Only I can laugh at this....

Because I have the greatest respect for you.

And you are sitting less than five centimteres from me....
 

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