Charges laid in grandparent scam targeting Chilliwack senior
A 21-year-old Surrey man convinced an 88-year-old woman he was her grandson in need of bail money. Police recovered most of the cash.
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A 21-year-old Surrey man has been charged with fraud over $5,000 after scamming an 88-year-old Chilliwack woman out of a substantial sum of cash in what police call a "grandparent scam."
Mandeep Singh was arrested and charged on May 29. The investigation began on October 11, 2025, when Chilliwack RCMP responded to a report of the elderly victim being defrauded.
The woman received a phone call from someone she believed to be her grandson, who claimed he needed money for bail. She withdrew cash and met in person with someone directed by the caller to collect it. When additional funds were requested, the victim grew suspicious and reported the incident to police.
Police identified Singh and recovered a "large amount of the money," which has since been returned to the victim. He was arrested and later released on conditions pending his first court appearance on September 9.
"Police will never ask for money over the phone," said Constable Hannah Sutton, media relations officer with the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment. "Individuals involved in this type of scam often create a sense of urgency and may tell victims they cannot speak to anyone else to prevent family members from intervening."
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre offers tips and resources at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.