A bank teller in Richmond, B.C., played a crucial role in preventing an elderly man from falling victim to a scam that could have cost him $26,000. On September 11, the teller alerted the police after noticing the man had withdrawn a significant amount of cash and was on his way to a local mall to meet someone.

The Richmond RCMP responded quickly to the call. They located the victim before he could purchase gift cards, which were part of the scam. At the time, the man was still on the phone with the scammers, who were pressuring him to complete the transaction.

According to police, the scammers had falsely informed the victim that they had transferred $26,000 from his bank account. Officers brought the man back to the bank, where they confirmed that the transaction had indeed occurred. Thanks to the swift action of the police and the bank, the transfer was reversed, and the funds were restored to the victim's account.

Inspector Mike Roberts, Operations Officer at Richmond RCMP, praised the teller's quick thinking. "We want to thank the teller for her quick thinking and timely action, preventing an elderly client from losing most of their life savings," he said.

Roberts also warned the public about the ongoing threat of phone and gift card scams. He urged individuals to be cautious when receiving unsolicited calls. "When in doubt, hang up and don’t be afraid to say no," he advised.

The RCMP encourages anyone who suspects they may be a victim of fraud to contact their local police or reach out to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for assistance.