Targeted phone scam intimidates Edmonton couple

Jasmin Panikaruse dreads the sound of her phone's incessant ringing these days.

She has been getting up to seven scam phone calls a day for the past week; even on Sunday, she took six calls.

She's fed up, and wants it to stop.

"It's more than nuts," Panikaruse said. "I feel very helpless."

The calls have come from different numbers, but on the other end it's the same immigration scam asking her to pay $3,000. She knows it's a ruse, but worries about others who might fall victim to this latest con.

Panikaruse disconnected her phone and then the scammers started hassling her husband on his cellphone.

They were frightened, and she has been constantly calling her husband because she is so scared.

Her telephone provider, Telus, initially offered a service to block nine numbers for $7 a month. 

Telus spokesperson Liz Sauve says they're now offering her two free options.

"We can look at blocking the numbers that are presently calling the customer.

"But however, if the scammers keep changing the numbers they're spoofing, and they're also spoofing the customer's husband's number, the solution may be to change both of their numbers free of charge from Telus."

Panikaruse said switching numbers is inconvenient and that her provider should have better safeguards in place.

"I really expect Telus to be up to date with these technologies, and do much more.

"For no reason I'm going through this," she said. "It's not my fault." 

Currently, she's trying to find a telephone provider that filters calls similar to email service.