Cobourg police station/X photo
According to Cobourg police, four Greater Toronto Area residents have been charged following an investigation into an alleged fraud that cost an elderly Cobourg resident approximately $140,000.
Police say the investigation began in July 2025 after an 86-year-old woman reported being victimized over a period of several weeks.
Investigators allege the victim received a phone call from someone claiming to be a PayPal employee who reported suspicious activity on her bank accounts. Police say the caller offered to help secure the accounts and gradually gained the woman’s trust.
According to police, the victim was persuaded to provide personal and financial information, leading to a series of fraudulent transactions between June and July of last year.
Following a lengthy investigation, members of the Cobourg Police Service Criminal Investigation Bureau identified four suspects from the Greater Toronto Area.
On June 8 and 9, police arrested two men and two women from the GTA and charged each with fraud over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and obtaining property by false pretence.
Police allege the group played a role in a scheme that ultimately defrauded the Cobourg resident of approximately $140,000.
Cobourg police are reminding residents to be cautious of unsolicited calls, emails or messages claiming to be from financial institutions, payment services or other organizations.
Police advise residents never to provide personal or financial information to unknown callers and to independently verify requests by contacting organizations directly through trusted phone numbers or websites.
Anyone who believes they have been the victim of fraud is encouraged to contact police and report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
The charges have not been tested in court.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
