News release
Yukoners, we need you to talk about fraud with your family, friends and neighbors
July 28, 2025
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Yukon, Yukon
From: Yukon RCMP
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In the past couple of weeks, Whitehorse RCMP has received numerous complaints regarding fraudulent phone calls and in some cases, Yukoners are being scammed out of their money.
The phone calls are generally going to elderly or senior citizens. The caller claims to be a loved one or “grandchild” and states they have been arrested and need bail money. Someone then claiming to be a lawyer gets on the phone and provides the process of how to send the money to get their loved on out of jail. The caller also claims that there is a “gag order” in place, and not to talk to anyone about the arrest.
The RCMP and other police agencies DO NOT request bail money to get someone out of jail. Whitehorse RCMP are hoping to enlist Yukoners to talk about this with their family, friends and neighbors.
These phone calls are very convincing, and in some of the reported cases the victims are certain the voice is that of their loved one. Scammers may be using artificial intelligence or AI- generated voices and impersonating their loved one.
A simple tool that may help families is to set up a family code word, a secret phrase or password that only family members know. It can be used to verify someone’s identity during emergencies, detect if a call or message is coming from a scammer and provide peace of mind in high-stress situations. Make sure it is easy to remember and hard to guess.
Fraud investigations can be difficult to investigate and challenging to hold the perpetrators accountable, often the scammers are located in other parts of the world. Our most effective tool is awareness and prevention. Yukoners, we need you to talk about fraud with your family, friends and neighbors.
For more information about fraud scams please visit: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm