By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban
The Montreal Police Department’s (SPVM) Economic Crimes Section arrested six suspects who were allegedly involved in two fraud schemes involving false representation. Some 50 victims of all ages are believed to have fallen victim to the scam. Authorities estimate the losses incurred by the victims collectively at approximately $1 million.
Police investigators conducted seven searches in Montreal, Carignan and Sainte-Julie. They seized various pieces of evidence related to the investigation as well as three loaded firearms. These searches are in addition to two others that were conducted in October.
The suspects arrested are five men aged 19 to 33 and a 22-year-old woman.
Two schemes were allegedly used to trap the victims. In the first, the suspects pretended to be employees of a financial institution. A false representative called a victim to make them believe that a fraudulent transaction had just been made in their account in another province. The victim was then instructed to cut their bank card in two, without damaging the chip, and then insert the pieces into an envelope. The false representative then asked the victim to verbally give them their personal identification number, then gave them a false reference code to write on the envelope. A known delivery company was then used to pick up the envelopes. The company’s drivers were not involved in the fraud and were used without their knowledge, according to police. Once the cards were in their possession, the fraudsters quickly made purchases and withdrawals using them.
In the second scheme, the suspects called the victims, also posing as employees of a financial institution. A fake representative explained to the victim that, for security reasons, it was important that their money be transferred quickly to a new account at the same institution. The fake representative then invited the victim to log into their online banking account and guided them to help them create a new account and make a transfer. The fake representative managed to obtain the transfer confirmation number from the victim. After hanging up with the victim, the fake representative had access to the funds that had just been transferred.
Several other suspects are targeted in this criminal investigation and other arrests are expected. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact 911 or their local police station. It is also possible to communicate information anonymously and confidentially to Info-Crime Montréal at 514 393-1133 or via the reporting form available on the infocrimemontreal.ca website.
Police suggest the following prevention tips: never trust what is written on your phone display, because fraudsters use applications that allow them to write the names of financial institutions; never give personal information over the phone; tell the person who is soliciting you that you will call them back; never give in to pressure; always consult a family member or trusted friend to validate the information received; and when in doubt, do not hesitate to consult your financial institution yourself – in person or using an official number – or your local police station. n