Two seniors lost a combined $8,000 over the past week in a bank card scam on the rise in Burnaby, according to police.
In each case, the victim got a call from a fraudster pretending to be from a bank and stating the victim's bank cards had been compromised.
The scammer then told them bank staff would come to their residence to pick up the cards and investigate.
Almost immediately, a suspect attended each residence in-person.
In two cases, the victims, both seniors, gave their cards to the fraudster and lost about $3,000 and $5,000 respectively.
In a third case Burnaby RCMP is investigating, the suspect fled when the would-be victim told them they wanted to verify the information with their bank.
The investigation is ongoing.
"We want everyone, including seniors, to be aware of this scam, especially given the in-person component. Never give personal or financial information to anyone you don't know," Burnaby RCMP spokesperson Cpl Mike Kalanj said in the release. "If you have been the victim of a fraud similar to this, or any type of fraud, please contact police immediately."
Police are reminding Burnaby residents to beware of unsolicited calls when the caller asks for personal information including your name, address, birth date, social insurance number and credit card or banking information.
For more information visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Follow Cornelia Naylor on X/Twitter @CorNaylor
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