A woman is scamming Abbotsford residents by suggesting she has an ill child and asking people for money, Abbotsford police are warning.
Photograph by: File photo , Abbotsford Times
Abbotsford Police are warning residents to be wary of a woman approaching them to ask for money for a crisis involving her ill child.
APD got reports of a woman going door to door in a residential neighbour in east Abbotsford on Monday telling people she had a sick child that she needed money to help, said Cont. Ian MacDonald.
"She would give a story about a crisis, and the way to solve that crisis was for somebody to give her cash," said MacDonald, stressing there's nothing to suggest any real child exists.
Police were called after someone who gave the woman $100 then saw her run down the street and jump into a waiting car.
Apparently the woman conducted the scam by holding a cell phone to her ear and supposedly having a conversation with a doctor who is diagnosing her child over the phone and telling the alleged mother what she needs, said MacDonald.
"The conversation suggests the child has pneumonia and the mother immediately has to go to a pharmacy and get a prescription," he said.
Police had reports of a comparable scam last summer when a woman with a similar story was approaching people outside of shopping malls or banks.
It's likely the same woman is involved in both instances, said MacDonald.
However, as a car was waiting for her in the last incident, another person might be assisting in the swindle, he said.
The suspect in the recent incident is described as being medium height between 25 to 35 years old with brown/blonde hair.
She left the area in a dark-coloured sedan.
Anyone with information on the incident should contact Abbotsford Police at
at 604-859-5225.
http://twitter.com/RochelleBaker1
http://twitter.com/abbytimes
