We all like to think we’re too savvy to fall for a scam. We read the headlines, we keep up with the news and we warn our parents about suspicious emails. But as one Montreal family recently discovered, today’s fraudsters don’t just send typos in an email; they weaponize your emotions and your own voice against you.
Eric Sauvageau, a 60-year-old father, recently found himself at the centre of a sophisticated impersonation plot. It started with a phone call from a private number. The voice on the other end sounded exactly like his son, Sam.
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The "son" claimed he was at a courthouse following a car accident. He explained that his voice sounded slightly off because he had broken his nose in the crash.
"It totally sounded like Sam’s voice," Eric told Global News (1).
Over the course of just three hours, Eric was caught in a whirlwind of high-pressure calls involving a fake son and a fake lawyer. Driven by the biological urge to protect his child, Eric went to his bank twice. He withdrew nearly $19,000 in cash and handed it over to two different couriers who came directly to his front door.
The illusion only shattered when Eric finally called his son’s workplace, only to find Sam had been there safely the entire time.
The psychology of the ‘grandparent’ scam
This is a textbook example of what the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) calls the "grandparent" or "emergency" scam. These criminals rely on a state of high physiological arousal. When you believe a loved one is in jail or injured, your "fight or flight" response kicks in, often bypassing the logical part of your brain that would otherwise ask why a lawyer is asking for cash via a courier.
The Montreal police noted in a statement to Global News that while some victims suspect artificial intelligence is being used to mimic voices, that specific technology is difficult to confirm. However, whether it’s AI or just a very good actor, the result is the same: devastating financial and emotional loss.
"You feel like an idiot," Eric told Global News, reflecting on the experience. "I know the scam — I know the grandfather scam, I’m aware of it. They just play on your emotions, really."
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How to verify an emergency
If you get a call like this, the first thing you need to do is pause. The scammer’s greatest tool is urgency. They will tell you not to call anyone else or that there is a "gag order" on the case. This is a red flag.
The CAFC and local police services recommend several immediate steps to verify the situation:
- Hang up and call back: Use a phone number you’ve already saved in your contacts for that person. Do not trust the caller ID, as "spoofing" technology can make a call look like it’s coming from a trusted source.
- Ask a "safe" question: Have a family password or ask a question that only the real person would know the answer to, such as the name of a first pet or a specific childhood memory.
- Never use cash for legal fees: No legitimate lawyer, police officer or bondsman in Canada will ever send a courier to your home to pick up cash or ask for payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards.
Rebuilding after a loss
For Eric, the loss was so significant that he considered selling his lifelong music collection to cover the hit. His son, Sam, has since started a fundraiser to help his father recoup the $19,000.
But as the Sauvageaus pointed out, speaking out is about more than the money. It’s about breaking the stigma. Scammers count on victims being too embarrassed to tell their friends or the police. By sharing their story, they hope to ensure other Canadian families don’t have to experience that same devastating realization.
If you or a family member has been targeted, report it to your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
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Global News (1)
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