A 16-year-old boy from Brampton is among two charged in an ongoing grandparent scam.
York Regional Police (YRP) launched an investigation in July after the victim informed officers he had received calls from someone pretending to be a cop who indicated that his grandson had been arrested for drugs and needed money for bail.
The victim agreed to pay $6,000, which the suspect sent a courier to collect. The suspect called the victim again, stating that a gun was located in the vehicle and asked for an additional $7,000. The victim became suspicious and phoned the police.
Markell London, 20, of Brampton, was arrested following a two-month investigation. He’s been charged with fraud over $5,000.
On Wednesday, authorities arrested a second suspect, a 16-year-old boy from Brampton. He’s also been charged with fraud over $5,000.
Police continue to share tips on how to avoid these types of scams, including never offering personal or financial information to someone over the phone, calling the grandchild or family member in question at a phone number you recognize as their own and asking the caller personal questions that only your grandchild could answer but an imposter could not.