Saanich police are warning residents of a scam that preys on victims’ generosity.
Police say a resident was scammed by a man who claimed to have lost his wallet and said he needed money to return to Dubai. The man, accompanied by people who were supposedly his wife and three young children, offered the resident realistic-looking gold jewelry as collateral. He drove to a nearby ATM with the resident, who withdrew $500.
Upon returning home, the resident realized the jewelry was not gold, because it was magnetic. The resident also discovered reports of the same scam in Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley, Merritt, Kamloops and Regina, Sask. Police said the suspect tried the same scam on someone else in the area an hour later, but was unsuccessful. The suspect drove a dark Chrysler SUV.
“As we enter the holiday season when goodwill is at its highest level, please use your common sense and intuition to avoid any scams that will hit you in the heart and pocketbook,” Saanich police said in a statement. — Times Colonist
