Members of the Haliburton Highlands Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are issuing a warning and seeking the public’s assistance in relation to an emergency scam investigation in Minden Hills Township.

On July 14, the victim received a call from a male falsely identifying himself as a police officer. The fraudster advised the victim that their grand daughter had been arrested for drug-related offences and was subsequently going to be held for a bail hearing. The fraudster then advised the victim that a payment of $9,000 was mandatory for her release. The scammer warned the victim to not speak to his granddaughter’s parents or anyone else, including law enforcement, as the transaction would not take place if that was the case. A female also spoke to the victim on the phone impersonating the granddaughter. Arrangements were made and a female attended the victim’s residence the following day to collect the money.

Members of the public are cautioned that officers would never attend a residence to obtain bail money.

Investigators are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the female and the vehicle.

The female is described between 18 to23 years of age, White, approximately 5’5″ tall,slim build, weighing100 to 110 pounds,brown eyes brown hair in a bun, red and black tattoo on left side of neck, one inch from ear, which runs down neck toward collarbone. She was last seen wearing dark pants and dark zip-up coat. The vehicle is described as ailver-coloured 2013-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Anyone with information pertaining to this investigation is asked to contact the Haliburton Highlands OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or 705 286-1431, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or https://www.khcrimestoppers.com.

Submitted