RCMP are seeing an increase in telephone scams targeting seniors in northern Manitoba, an area where they had previously received few complaints.

Four elderly Flin Flon residents reported receiving a call from a scammer claiming to be either a relative or a lawyer in the past few months, police said in a news release Wednesday.

The scammer asked for a large sum of money to help with bail and that the money be mailed to an address outside Manitoba.

Thousands of dollars were sent by mail in two of the cases. Another transaction was intercepted, and the money was returned to the victim.

Police said they do not know whether all the cases were related.

“It’s unfortunate that we have encountered more incidents where senior citizens have been the victim of these types of frauds,” Staff Sgt.

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