Man charged with 16 counts of fraud after targeting Burnaby seniors

The Burnaby RCMP says a 26-year-old man has been charged in an investigation into a bank card scam that targeted seniors last year.

Police say they warned the public about the scam that had victimized two Burnaby seniors in February 2024.

“Scammers were calling seniors, and just people in general, and telling them that their bank cards were compromised, that they needed to bring them in,” Corp. Mike Kalanj told 1130 NewsRadio.

“Before they knew it, an apparent ‘staff member’ from the bank was knocking on their door, and this just caught some residents off guard. They ended up giving up their credit, their debit cards with their PIN numbers, and a few people lost some money.”

Kalanj says the scam wasn’t unique to Burnaby.

“It’s happening all over the Lower Mainland. So our Prolific Offender Suppression team took those two files, matched it with at least four other files, with other victims, and began an investigation,” he said.

Yeral Jauvin Varona of Vancouver is facing 16 charges, including fraud over $5,000, identity theft, and “disguise face with intent.”

Kalanj says it’s important for the public to know not to fall for this particular scam.

“Make sure everyone has that conversation with family members, especially maybe some elderly family members that aren’t as familiar with the way the banks work,” he said.

“They’re not going to come to your house.”

Last week, the Richmond RCMP warned the public about a similar scam targeting elderly residents.