'He was genuinely worried about my safety': Scammer preys on a father's worst fear
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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.
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.
Have you or anyone you know fell victim to these impersonation scams? Share your experiences and tips on avoiding scams in the comments below.
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.
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.
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