Scammers posing as police bilk victims out of $168,000

Calgary police are reminding residents iTunes cards aren’t acceptable forms of payment to bail loved ones out of jail.

In fact, police have nothing to do with processing bail payments in Alberta.

That advice comes as city police deal with a new twist in a common telephone scam — one that’s so far bilked Calgarians out of $168,000 this year.

In the scam, victims receive a phone call purportedly from a Calgary police officer notifying them of the arrest of a friend or family member.

The scammer then requests the victim purchase a quantity of prepaid gift cards as bail payment to secure their loved one’s release.

In some cases, victims were first called by individuals claiming to be from courier companies, requesting cellphone numbers to ensure proper delivery of packages.

Police say the scammers employ aggressive, harassing and highpressure tactics to bully victims into purchasing the cards, averaging about $2,500 per instance.

iTunes cards seem to be most popular among the scam artists, while requests for Steam online gaming portal gift cards are also common.

To prevent further victims, police want citizens to know they will never call relatives of those arrested to solicit bail money, and the only time family members will be contacted is when the detainee is a minor.

Retailers are also asked to keep an eye out for potential victims — especially those making large purchases who appear agitated or performing their transaction while on the phone.

Anybody who feels they’ve fallen victim to the scam is asked to call Calgary police at 403-266-1234.