The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Canada's Quebec has arrested one Gareth West, the mastermind behind a big ‘grandparent scam’ ring across the US-Canada border.
He has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering by the US, according to what police told CBC. Here's all you need to know about him.
Who is Gareth West ?
The man, Gareth West, was called the head of a scam ring by the authorities. US investigators said he ran a huge scam where older people in 46 states were tricked into giving away money after being made to believe that their grandkids were in trouble, as per CBC report.
Gareth had people working for him, who called seniors pretending to be grandchildren who had been arrested or hurt and needed bail money fast. The targets were told to keep quiet and not tell anyone. following which scammers connected them to fake lawyers or agents and arranged to pick up cash—sometimes through ride-share drivers or couriers.
The 2024 US indictment said Gareth West ran this operation from call centres near Montreal, as per press release of ICE.
He hired dozens of workers and used fake US numbers to trick people in America. In a police raid last year in Virginia, officers found staff making scam calls live.
{{/usCountry}}He hired dozens of workers and used fake US numbers to trick people in America. In a police raid last year in Virginia, officers found staff making scam calls live.
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In public, West acted like a successful real estate businessman from Montreal, and spent the money he earned from the scam on fancy cars, expensive homes, and travel, officials said.
Last month, CBC reported that police tried to catch him in March at a home in Burlington, Ontario, but the place was under renovation. He had been living nearby and ran before cops arrived.
Before this, RCMP and US Homeland Security, the IRS, and local police had arrested 23 others involved, but West and another man, Jimmy Ylimaki, had been absconding.
Also Read: How Trump aims to cut a ‘scam’ that is bleeding Americans dry
$30 million scam
US officials believe the scam took over $30 million from elderly people. If West gets convicted in the US, he could face up to 40 years in prison. He’s supposed to go before a judge in Quebec on Saturday, where the extradition process might start, according to an Economic Times report.
Police and elder support groups are asking people to stay alert. If someone suddenly calls asking for money and says a loved one is in trouble, they said people should hang up, double-check with family, and report it right away.