RCMP and CBSA seize $917,000.00 in Counterfeit Money Orders and Fake IDs!

FRAUD - Recognize it, Report it, Stop it!




TORONTO, April 21, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Team (ICET), in conjunction with its partner agency the Canada Border Services Agency, seized $917,000.00 worth of fraudulent Canadian money orders and multiple falsified identities following the execution of a search warrant on a Sherobee Road apartment in Mississauga on Friday.

Insp. Rick Whattam of the RCMP Commercial Crime Section in Toronto credits the CBSA for their expedient sharing of information which allowed the RCMP ICET unit to follow the fraudulent money orders to their intended recipient who was subsequently arrested and charged.

Fraudulent money orders of this nature are often used as part of an advance fee mass marketing fraud scheme to victimize unsuspecting Canadians who are asked to pay a portion of the value of the money order (as an "advance fee") back to the fraudster - only to discover later that the money order is worthless. In most cases, the advance fees paid by the victims are non-recoverable because a third-party financial transfer company had been used to facilitate these crimes.

The RCMP reminds Canadians to be vigilant when approached with "too good to be true" opportunities. Specifically, the RCMP warns Canadians to be wary of employment offers, advance fee transactions, and marketing pitches (many conducted over the Internet) in which cheques/money orders are advanced with instructions to cash them and return some portion of their value.

Charged with fraud over $5,000.00, possession of forged documents, and possession of false identity information is Maxwell Asante (age 26) of Mississauga, Ontario. Asante is scheduled to attend Brampton Court on April 28, 2011.

The Canadian Anti-fraud Centre (formerly Phonebusters) is the national fraud reporting centre where people can report fraud complaints. This centre, jointly operated by the RCMP, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Competition Bureau of Canada, supports law enforcement in investigations and assists members of the public in fraud prevention education. If you suspect you are a victim of this fraud or a similar fraud, you may contact the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or report it on-line at www.recol.ca.

9 People Arrested for ATM Skimming

WHITBY, Ontario, April 20, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Nine people have been arrested following a 2 month investigation into an organized crime group compromising payment cards at Automated Banking Machines (ABM) across Southern Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Nova Scotia.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB) Identity Crimes Unit (ICU), assisted by the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS), Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS), York Regional Police Service (YRPS), Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), OPP Highway Safety Division, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and OCEB Assets Forfeiture Unit concluded a two month investigation into an organized crime group of Eastern European individuals who were involved in the tampering of Automated Banking Machines (ABM) in order to skim payment card data across Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia with some occurrences reported in Nova Scotia. These individuals attach devices to ABM's that enable the capture of debit card data and Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) during the legitimate use of banking products by unsuspecting victims. The devices are left in place from one to two hours and then the skimmed data is encoded onto other plastic cards to be used by the perpetrators to access victims' accounts with out their knowledge.

This group is responsible for over 300 tampers which have resulted in losses to victims of approximately two million dollars since September of 2010.

On April 19, 2011, investigators executed 8 search warrants and affected 9 arrests in Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Markham, Toronto and St. Catherines. Police seized 3 vehicles as offence related property and seized ABM overlays, forged payment cards, property obtained by crime, cocaine and a quantity of cash. ABM overlays are devices placed on machines in order to capture payment card data and customer Personal Identification Numbers.

Charged in relation to this investigation are:

Robert DESLIPPE , male, 30 years old of St Catherines is charged with Fraud Over $5000, Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Possession of Instrument for use in forging credit cards, Possession and Use of Credit Card Data, Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Participation in a Criminal organization, Theft of Credit Card Data and Purposely Possess Identification Information.

Arthur CAMPBELL, male, 32 years old of St Catherines is charged with Fraud Under $5000, Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Possession of Instrument for use in forging credit cards, Possession and Use of Credit Card Data, Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Participation in a Criminal organization, Theft of Credit Card Data and Purposely Possess Identification Information.

Valentin MOLDOVAN, male, 21 years old of Richmond Hill is charged with Fraud Over $5000, Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Possession of Instrument for use in forging credit cards, Possession and Use of Credit Card Data, Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Participation in a Criminal organization, Theft of Credit Card Data and Purposely Possess Identification Information.

Radu OPREA, male, 33 years old of no fixed address is charged with Fraud Over $5000, Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Possession of Instrument for use in forging credit cards, Possession and Use of Credit Card Data, Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Participation in a Criminal organization, Theft of Credit Card Data and Purposely Possess Identification Information.

Laura IOANA, female, 24 years old of Vaughan is charged with Fraud Over $5000, Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Possession of Instrument for use in forging credit cards, Possession and Use of Credit Card Data, Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Participation in a Criminal organization, Theft of Credit Card Data and Purposely Possess Identification Information.

Ioan Florin TANASA, male, 35 years old of no fixed address is charged with Fraud Over $5000, Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Possession of Instrument for use in forging credit cards, Possession and Use of Credit Card Data, Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Participation in a Criminal organization, Theft of Credit Card Data and Purposely Possess Identification Information.

Paul GALATAN, male, 25 years old of no fixed address is charged with Fraud Over $5000, Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Possession of Instrument for use in forging credit cards, Possession and Use of Credit Card Data, Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Participation in a Criminal organization, Theft of Credit Card Data and Purposely Possess Identification Information.

Dragos Catalin NEACSY, male, 33 years old of no fixed address is charged with Possession of Cocaine

Christian IOANA, male, 27 years old of no fixed address is charged with Fraud Over $5000, Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Possession of Instrument for use in forging credit cards, Possession and Use of Credit Card Data, Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Participation in a Criminal organization, Theft of Credit Card Data and Purposely Possess Identification Information.

The accused were held for bail hearings at the Durham Region Court house located at 150 Bond Street East in Oshawa.


Detective Sergeant Doug Cousens of the Identity Crimes Unit states, "this is another example of the integrated efforts of police agencies working together to identify and capture those individuals responsible for this emerging crime trend. Identity theft costs Canadians hundreds of millions of dollars each year." Police continue to work with the banking industry to detect and prevent identity crimes

Police caution the public to always be alert and aware when using their respective bank debit and/or credit cards and to take the time to get familiar with the appearance of the ABM they regularly use. You will find a number of tips and contacts at the OPP Fraud Prevention links.

Symantec Reports Shortened URLs As Tools Of Crime

Shortened URLs have become a conspicuous tool in the weaponry of cyber-criminals, a recent report has revealed.

from ITProportal.com
Written by Ravi Mandalia

The report, published by Symantec Corporation also claimed that last year alone, millions of shortened URL links were advertised on a number of major web-platforms including the social networking websites, with a significant portion of those links resulting in luring the unsuspecting surfers into phishing and malware attacks.

Con Mallon, director of Norton, the consumer online protection brand said in a statement,

“We are seeing that people are being tricked and they're clicking on those shortened URLs”.

Mallon continued, "People have become a little more savvy to looking at the URL to see if it really does look like a proper URL from that company or that individual or that website, but I think when you shorten it, it changes the game".

The report also emphasised on the point that with this new strategy, the “dark-forces” of the virtual world are inflicting far more damage than ever before.

Experts are of the view that though shortened URLs has many a time proved itself as an efficient method to keep it simple, users should really pay some serious attention on their associated security risks, before clicking on these links.

Read more story at ITProportal.com

Fallsview Casino Targeted by Debit Card Skimming Team

OPP Charge 7 Individuals

NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario, April 8, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - On Thursday April 7, 2011, during the early afternoon hours, the Fallsview Casino was targeted by a group of credit and debit card fraudsters.

In a two hour period, 7 males visited numerous ATM machines within the casino and obtained significant quantities of cash from hundreds of compromised bank accounts.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Casino Enforcement Unit officers attached to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario observed and arrested members participating in this fraudulent scheme and have recovered over $15,000 in cash and hundreds of credit cards.

Investigators believe that this group of fraudsters was capable of defrauding Canadian banks and personal bank accounts of $250,000. The investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending.

Charged with Possession of Stolen Property are:

Gavin ANTON-REGINOLD, 21 years of Markham,
Nandakumar KANDIAH, 31 years of Cornwall
Jawad MASHUQUE, 21years of Toronto
Prasath PATKUNASINGAM, 24 years of Mississauga
Srimylan SRIVIGNESWARAN, 22 years of Scarborough
Ramanan THIRUNAVUKKARASU, 29 years of Mississauga
Vigithan VIGNESWARAN, 21 years of Toronto

The above males were all held in custody pending a bail hearing which was scheduled to take place today at the Ontario Court of Justice located in St. Catherine's.

Fraud Can Cost You and Legitimate Charities

Money Can be Lost and Reputations Harmed

FRAUD…Recognize it…Report it…Stop it.

ORILLIA, Ontario, April 5, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - In Canada, we have a long tradition of donating money to legitimate charities during various fund raising appeals. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) want to remind you to be wary and careful before opening your heart and your wallet to someone representing an unfamiliar charity or special interest.

"By nature, we are generous people. Committing your hard-earned money to charity should be as safe and secure as you intend it to be in order to reach the people or causes you want to help." - Deputy Commissioner Scott Tod, OPP Investigations/Organized Crime Command.

Each year, millions of people are contacted - at the door, by mail, by phone, or by e-mail - by those who use names or causes that are very close to the names of legitimate and respected charities. By approaching you at your residence, you may feel even more urgency or pressure to donate. These people may actually be fraud artists preying on your generous nature.

"Criminals will ruthlessly use whatever means necessary to prey on your good intentions for their own selfish purposes. Awareness about the charitable organizations you want to donate to is your best defence against these scams." - Detective Inspector Bernie Murphy, OPP Anti-Rackets Branch.

Throughout the year, the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch recommends that would-be donors consider the following tips:

...If you receive a telephone call, ask for the information to be sent to you in writing. Ask how much of your gift will be used directly for the charity. Ask how much will go toward administrative costs. Legitimate charities will have no problem giving you this information.

...Never give out your personal or financial information over the phone, or at the door. You may wish to make out a cheque payable to the charity. You can mail the cheque later.

...Call the charity. Find out if they know about the appeal and if it is authorized, and what percentage of your donation they will receive. You should never feel pressured into making a donation.

...Ask if the charity is registered. Contact Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) at 1-800-267-2384. Ask CRA for the charitable tax number of the charity. Question any discrepancies.

...At the beginning of each year, decide which charities to support - send your cheques directly to their head office, and feel good about giving. If approached more directly, you can then say that you have already given, and perhaps you will consider their appeal next year when you decide on the charities to support.

If you suspect a fraud artist is at work, file a complaint by calling your local police or contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at 1-888-495-8501 or visit online at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca

Australian Institute of Criminology - Cybercrime

From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2011.
http://scout.wisc.edu

Established in 1973, the
Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) "seeks to promote justice and reduce crime by undertaking and communicating evidence-based research to inform policy and practice."

The AIC's research on cybercrime has resulted in many publications, which visitors can find by clicking on "Publications" in the box entitled "AIC Work" on the right side of the main cybercrime page. The publications are on topics that range from cyber bullying, computer security tools used by Australian businesses, and challenges of cloud computing.

Back on the main cybercrime page, the "Theft, Fraud and Financial Crime" link under "Contents" takes visitors to articles that address internet fraud, phishing, scams, and electronic money laundering. The articles are from conferences, governments, journals and organizations around the world, and include, "E-commerce and Internet Auction Fraud: The e-Bay Community Model", "WiredSafety: Scams and Fraud", and "Cyberpayments and Money Laundering: Problems and Promise". [KMG]

Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments issues list of most common fraud and scam complaints

TORONTO, March 31, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) today issued a list of the fraud and scam-related complaints it most frequently sees in order to help Canadians spot the common traps set by criminals.

"OBSI investigates many consumer complaints related to fraud," said Ombudsman Doug Melville. "While individual circumstances differ, the crimes involved are often simply variations of the same old scams."

With Fraud Prevention Month - the month of March - coming to a close, OBSI reminds all Canadians to remain vigilant against criminals throughout the year.

"Criminals and scam artists are always on the lookout for ways to part you from your money," continued Melville. "To be forewarned is to be forearmed."

TOP SCAMS AND FRAUDS SEEN BY OBSI:

...Debit and credit card fraud: Most of us personally know someone whose debit or credit card was compromised. Keep your cards in a safe place, use different Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) for each card, don't share your card and PIN with anyone else, cover the PIN-pad with your hand to prevent others from seeing you enter your PIN, and don't ever write your PIN on the card or leave your written PIN in your wallet or purse.

...Overpayment scams: You advertise something for sale, and find a buyer. Success! But the buyer has written you a cheque for too much money. He asks you to return the overpayment by sending a wire. By the time the original cheque is discovered to be counterfeit, the "buyer" and your money have disappeared. Criminals also target landlords with this scam. Know that once funds are sent by wire to a fraudster, the money is usually not recoverable.

...Debt consolidation scams: This scam becomes more common during times of economic recession and personal financial trouble. Someone whose credit limit is stretched to the max and has multiple debts will pay a company a fee for debt consolidation at a lower rate. In return, this person receives a cheque to clear the original debts. The cheque is deposited to a bank account and existing debts are paid off from the proceeds. It is not until the consolidation cheque later turns out to be counterfeit that the scam is discovered. The unfortunate victim now has an even-bigger debt problem.

...Identity theft: Your personal and financial information is valuable, and criminals love to get their hands on it. When they do, they may be able to open bank accounts, get credit cards and borrow money - all in your name. Protect your personal information, safely store important financial documents, and shred those financial documents and statements you no longer need.

...Sales scams: This one can affect both buyers and sellers. Online transactions involve a degree of trust, and the bad guys can take advantage of this. Sometimes you sell something over the internet and don't receive payment, other times you pay for something you don't receive. Understand how online selling works before you try it and take steps to minimize your risks, whether you are a buyer or a seller.

...Fraudulent investments: If you're offered a special deal on an investment "for you only", or guaranteed high returns, watch out! As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Buy your investments from licensed investment advisors working with regulated firms. Then if something goes wrong, there may be somewhere to turn to (like the regulators or OBSI) for help.

Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI)

OBSI is the national independent dispute resolution service for consumers and small businesses with a complaint they can't resolve with their banking services or investment firm. As a free alternative to the legal system, we work informally and confidentially to find fair outcomes to disputes about banking and investment products and services.

OBSI looks into complaints about most banking and investment matters including: debit and credit cards; mortgages; stocks, mutual funds, income trusts, bonds and GICs; loans and credit; fraud; investment advice; unauthorized trading; fees and rates; transaction errors; misrepresentation; and accounts sent to collections. Where a complaint has merit, OBSI may recommend compensation up to a maximum of $350,000.