Police arrest two Toronto men for scamming elderly man out of $9K

Two Toronto men have been arrested in connection with a “grandparent scam” that stripped $9,000 in cash from an elderly man in his 80s. 

According to a statement by Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), 24-year-old Souleymane Camara and 23-year-old Enio Martins were each charged with the two counts of criminal offence of fraud over $5000. 

Media Release – Grandparent Scam Investigation Results in Two Fraud Arrestshttps://t.co/jXED2jLJmC pic.twitter.com/ea43WEll4N

— NRPS (@NiagRegPolice) August 25, 2022

NRPS launched a fraud investigation on August 23 in the city of Welland after receiving complaints from an elderly man that he was scammed out of $9,000. The complainant told police he received phone calls from an “unknown suspect claiming to be a grandchild in legal peril.”

The second suspect then made a follow-up call disguising himself as a lawyer, which led to the elderly man being swayed to pay “legal bills.” He then went to his bank, withdrew the money, and had it collected by a courier at his home the next day. 

While the investigation was already underway, the suspects then contacted the complainant once more, this time demanding $10,000 but were unsuccessful. 

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The suspects were then located and arrested by officers from the NRPS Traffic Enforcement Unit. 

Camara and Martins have since been released from custody pending a future court date, after being held in custody and attending a video bail hearing this week. 

Detectives encourage anyone with information to contact the Central Fraud Unit by calling 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009487.