Seniors in Hamilton scammed out of $347K in 2020, police say

Hamilton police say scammers defrauded seniors out of$347,644.65 last year despite there being fewer frauds compared to 2019.

A report by the service states there were 103 reports and 32 victims of fraud against seniors in 2019 compared to 72 reports and 27 victims in 2020. Police attribute that to the pandemic and more public education.

But theysaid extortion is still the main fraud seniors face, with a rise in scammers faking their caller ID information.

"The fraudsters will often use very persuasive language and trickery to lure the victims and continue this deceit in order to take as much money as possible from the victim," read the report.

There's also an uptick in having seniors withdraw money and invest it into a Bitcoin account.

Last year saw fewer charges and arrests with 20 total charges and 14 people arrested.

"These types of investigations are complex, time consuming and challenging. These investigations require multiple interviews, evidence collection including video surveillance, and detailed warrants of financial records," read the report.

Acting chief Frank Bergen said during a police services board meeting on Friday it's a "continuous struggle," noting the perpetrators are often not in Canada.