Gatineau police charge four people in attempted grandparent scam

Four people have been arrested in connection with a grandparent scam in Gatineau.

Shortly before 12:15 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 11, a resident contacted the Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG) to and said he believed he had been the victim of fraud.

He reported receiving a phone call from a person claiming to be his granddaughter and asking him for money to get out of a difficult situation.

The man then went to his banking institution to withdraw the requested amount of money. However, the employee processing his application expressed concerns that he may be a victim of the grandparent scam.

The man then contacted his granddaughter and confirmed she was doing well and had not contacted him.

The SPVG then intercepted the suspect at the victims home when they showed up to collect the money. Police said the suspect tried to flee on foot, but was quickly caught and arrested, and three accomplices who were in a vehicle nearby fled the scene.

The suspects were all located in the Val-Tétreau district in the Hull sector after abandoning their vehicle.

The four individuals, men aged between 19 and 25, were all taken in by police to be interviewed by investigators, and two of them, a 19-year-old from Ottawa and 23-year-old from Gatineau, were released pending charges.

The other two were held in custody ahead of a bail hearing and have since been released with conditions.

• Édouard Sami, 25, of Montreal, faces charges of fraud and obstructing police work.
• Francis Igor Samputu, 24, of Ottawa, faces charges of fraud, obstructing police work and dangerous driving.