A Richmond bank teller was a hero, thwarting a fraud attempt against an older client and preventing him from losing tens of thousands of dollars.
The Richmond RCMP stated that the fraud attempt occurred on Sept. 11. A teller at a local bank informed the department that an “elderly victim” had withdrawn a large amount of cash.
The victim headed to a local mall to meet with someone in person.
Richmond RCMP located the victim, stopping him from purchasing gift cards relating to the scam.
“The victim was still on the phone with the scammers, who insisted the victim complete the purchase. The scammers then advised they just transferred $26,000 from the victim’s account,” Richmond RCMP shared in a release.
Officers brought the victim back to his financial institution and were able to reverse the transaction after confirming it had taken place. The money was then deposited back into the victim’s account.
Operations Officer with Richmond RCMP Inspector Mike Roberts, thanked the teller for her quick thinking and timely action in “preventing an elderly client from losing most of their life savings.”
“Phone scams and gift card scams are continuing. We urge everyone to exercise caution when answering unsolicited phone calls. When in doubt, hang up and don’t be afraid to say no,” he added.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, you can report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
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