Elderly Residents in London, ON Retirement Home Scammed Out of $50K – What You Need to Know

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating a major fraud incident affecting residents of a retirement home in Norwich, just 20 kilometres southeast of Woodstock. Several elderly residents, including a 90-year-old woman battling dementia, have lost more than $50,000 in the scams. The police began their probe on August 21 after being notified about the alleged fraud at the retirement community.

Miranda Guitard, a relative of one of the victims, voiced her grievances as her family wrestles with the aftermath. The family had selected Trillium Care in June for the 90-year-old woman because of its large, Victorian-style appeal that made it feel more like a home than an institution. Despite paying the first and last month’s care in advance, they received further requests for additional funds from a senior employee, which raised some suspicions.

Miranda noted discrepancies in the email communications regarding rent payments, noticing that payments were directed to a generic Gmail account instead of the official TrilliumCommunityCare domain. Acting on her instincts, she reported the anomalies to the OPP. The police have since identified a suspect and are actively investigating. An OPP cruiser has been placed outside the home, and detectives corroborate that over $50,000 could be missing.

This alarming situation is prompting Miranda to alert other families: 'If you're dealing with a big move like this for a loved one, ask your questions and listen to your gut. Find out who everyone is beforehand. Who's the general manager? Who's doing the bookkeeping?' Her advice highlights the importance of due diligence and trusting one's instincts.

Fraud cases like these are not isolated incidents. According to fraud expert Vanessa Iafolla, anyone can fall victim if targeted by the right scam. Vanessa describes fraudsters as highly skilled individuals whose full-time job is to defraud others. Det. Const. John Armit from the OPP's anti-rackets branch suggests the 'take five, tell two' approach: taking a moment to think and consulting two different people before proceeding with any unexpected solicitations.

Some of the emerging fraud trends in Ontario include cryptocurrency investment scams and the 'grandparent' scam. Fraudsters exploit social media to lure people into fake cryptocurrency investments, showing them phony returns to convince them to invest more money. Elderly individuals are also targeted by fraudsters pretending to be relatives in urgent need of money.

Authorities stress that dealing with fraud requires a collective effort from law enforcement, the public, and the government. Police are imploring anyone who suspects their family member may be a victim of fraud to contact them.