Fraud Unit charges three Montreal residents in relation to Identity Fraud

https://www.ottawapolice.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=adbabf2a-3056-46d9-9ccc-f999e1994a50

Posted On Wednesday July 10, 2019

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, July 10, 2019       3:35pm 

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service Organized Fraud Unit investigated an identity fraud incident, which occurred between July 5-6^th in the City of Ottawa, involving three victims that do not reside in the Ottawa area.  

Investigators found that three individuals arrived from Montreal on July 5, 2019 to the Ottawa area, where they used forged government identification to start the process of opening bank accounts at various financial institutions.

On July 6, 2019, the same individuals attended a Toronto Dominion Bank in the West end of Ottawa. Employees at the bank were suspicious of an individual attempting to open an account and contacted the Ottawa Police.

Officers attended, investigated and the individual was arrested for Fraud; and they further identified a vehicle waiting a short distance away and arrested the occupants. False identification for two other victims was located on the accused persons.

That day, the three individuals were charged as follows:  

Audrey NSILALA-MIAKA (m), 24 years old of Montreal:

• Conspiracy to commit Fraud
• Possess Identity documents
• Fraud under
• Personation

Tshimuena KALOMBA (f), 19 years old of Montreal:

• Conspiracy to commit Fraud
• Possess Identity documents x2

Meddy MOYENGE (m), 23 years old of Montreal:

• Conspiracy to commit Fraud
• Fraud under

They are scheduled to appear in court in August 2019 in Ottawa.

During this investigation, the Organized Fraud Unit learned that the victims were impacted by the recent Desjardins incident where ‘customer information was disclosed without authorization’. Two victims had been officially notified by Desjardins via letter that their personal confidential information had been compromised.

“While we cannot ascertain that the information used by the three charged persons from Montreal was actually obtained via the Desjardins information breach, the Ottawa Police encourages anyone affected by this breach to follow the instructions provided by Desjardins and register with credit monitoring services,” said Insp. Tim Hodgins, with the Criminal Investigations Directorate.

You can also read more tips to protect yourself with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

This is a reminder for everyone to be vigilant and attentive to any suspicious financial activity on your accounts or credit. If you have been victimized and are a resident of the City of Ottawa, please use the Ottawa Police online reporting tool at www.ottawapolice.ca or by calling 613-236-1222 ext. 7300.  

CONTACT:

Media Relations Section                  

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366

Ottawa woman accused of making more than 100 false health insurance claims

https://www.ottawamatters.com/police-beat/ottawa-woman-accused-of-making-more-than-100-false-health-insurance-claims-1578277

The Ottawa Police Service has charged a 52-year-old Ottawa woman after she allegedly filed 106 false health insurance claims, dating back to 2014.

Officers started investigating the case last in 2018 after a complaint was received by an insurance company about false health insurance claims.

The claims were allegedly made until March 2017, through an online portal.

Mona Belanger is charged with:

• Fraud over $5,000

She was arrested in June 2019 and has been released. She will appear in court on July 15.

City of Ottawa treasurer fell victim to US$100K phishing scam: auditor general

https://obj.ca/index.php/article/city-ottawa-treasurer-fell-victim-us100k-phishing-scam-auditor-general

The City of Ottawa’s treasurer fell victim to an increasingly prevalent form of cyber attack last year, costing Ottawa more than $100,000 to a U.S. fraudster, the city’s audit committee heard Monday.

The city’s auditor general Ken Hughes reported findings from this past year’s audits at Monday’s meeting as well as an investigation into a reported transfer of funds to a fraudster south of the border.

Hughes confirmed that his investigation found that city treasurer Marian Simulik was scammed into sending roughly US$98,000 from Ottawa’s treasury to a fraudulent account in July 2018.

The phishing email purported to be from city manager Steve Kanellakos, and asked Simulik to wire the money to a specified account in order to complete an acquisition on behalf of the city. Simulik sent a few emails back and forth with the fraudster and ultimately signed off on the transfer, with the city’s treasury branch issuing the funds later that day.

Five days later, another phishing email instructed Simulik to send some US$150,000 for a similar purpose, but this time she was attending a city council meeting and was seated next to Kanellakos himself. When she asked him about the email, he said he had no knowledge of the request, at which point both realized the city had fallen victim to fraud.

Simulik then reported the incident to the city’s IT branch, which in turn involved the auditor general. The resultant investigation turned up a similar incident earlier that spring, in which a phishing email purporting to be from the CEO of the Ottawa Public Library requested a wire transfer, but the treasury branch contacted the proper authority and did not act on that scam.

There are still hopes that the city might get some of the money back. City staff were informed after the incident that one of the accounts involved in the scam was being monitored by the United States Secret Service and that an individual related to the matter had been arrested and now awaits trial. The city might recover “some of its losses” as a result of the U.S. authorities’ involvement, which Hughes noted during the meeting is rare in similar cases of fraud.

Simulik made a heartfelt statement to the committee expressing embarrassment at having fallen victim to the scam following nearly three decades as a steward of the public purse. She told the committee the incident had affected her “deeply, both professional and personally.”

Simulik, who is retiring from her post at the end of the year, added she won’t be commenting further while the matter is before the courts. Following his investigation, Hughes concluded there was no fraudulent wrongdoing by Similuk or any other city staff.

Kanellakos also defended Simulik’s actions, noting that incidents of fraudsters targeting individuals with access to significant funds – a process dubbed “whaling” in cybersecurity – are on the rise across the industry.

Suspect to identify in prescription frauds

Posted On Friday March 01, 2019

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Friday, March 01, 2019                      16:38pm

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police is investigating a series of prescription frauds that occurred in January and February of this year. 

A female suspect attends pharmacies throughout Ottawa, presents a false driver’s licence as well as a fraudulent prescription. The suspect states that she is picking up the prescription for a friend or family member.

The suspect is described as a white female, in her 20’s, measuring 5’3” (160cm) with long brown hair. She does not carry a purse, but rather a wallet and a phone in her hands (see attached photos.) 

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call Cst. Kellan Moore at 613-236-1222, ext. 6304.

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or by downloading the Ottawa Police app. 

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CONTACT:

Media Relations Section                  

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366

Ottawa man charged with Fraud after posing as a St. John Ambulance instructor

https://www.ottawapolice.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=88b43559-431f-4f32-a280-e7a1a9e51dbe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Friday, January 25, 2019   9:45am 

(Ottawa) — In December 2018, the Ottawa Police Service Organized Fraud Unit began an investigation following a complaint that a man was accepting money for delivering St. John Ambulance courses despite that fact that he was not qualified to do so nor did he have any affiliation with the organization. 

On December 28, 2018, Timothy POON, 32 years old of Ottawa was charged with one count of Fraud Under $5000. He appeared in court on January 24, 2019. 

Investigators are concerned that there may be other victims. If you have been a victim of this fraud, please file a report online or call 613-236-1222, ext.7300 

Anyone wishing to take a St. John Ambulance course can get information online at https://www.sja.ca/English/Pages/default.aspx 

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service at 613-236-1222, ext. 7300 or phone Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS) or toll-free at 1-800-222-8477. 

Seeking to identify suspects in relation to Fraud

https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/index.aspx?page=2&newsId=fa72522e-e67c-4ea5-9a25-dbc632ce0082

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 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Wednesday, October 31, 2018               10:24pm 

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service is investigating a fraud and is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspects responsible.

On October 7th, 2018, unknown suspects broke into a vehicle situated in the area of Senio Ave.  Suspects stole a wallet containing a CIBC credit card and a debit card which they later used at various stores in Ottawa.

The suspects are described as follows (images attached):

The first suspect is described as a light-skinned male in his 20’s, clean shaven, wearing dark jeans and polo shirt with “England” printed in the front.

The second suspect is described as a dark-skinned male in his 20’s, wearing light pants and dark hoodie.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Ottawa Police's Break & Enter Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 2655. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or by downloading the Ottawa Police app.

Local roofing company owner and employee charged with 49 Fraud related offences

https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/index.aspx?newsId=7e8a99c3-4161-4b70-a4ef-62d9ec18b417

(Ottawa)— In January 2018, the Ottawa Police Service Organized Fraud Unit began an investigation following numerous complaints that a local roofing company received money for new roof services and never fulfilled the contracts.

On Friday, November 2, 2018, the Organized Fraud Unit charged the owner of Ottawa Permanent Roofing and one employee individually with 45 counts of Fraud Over $5,000 and 4 counts of Fraud Under $5,000.

Charged are:

• Hanan EL BADRY (f), 27 years old, of Ottawa (owner)
• Hugh ARNOLD, 61 years old, of Kelowna, BC (employee)

Ms. EL BADRY was arrested in Ottawa on November 2^nd, 2018 and Mr. ARNOLD was arrested on a Canada Wide Warrant in Kelowna, BC on October 29^th, 2018 by the RCMP.

Ms. EL BADRY is scheduled to appear in court on December 11, 2018, while Mr. ARNOLD remains in custody in Ottawa.

The Ottawa Police Service received over 49 complaints about the roofing company up until August 2018 and investigators are concerned there could be more victims.

Mr. ARNOLD presented himself to customers as ‘Anthony El Badry’.

Please visit the Consumer Protection Ontario website for tips when hiring a (roofing) contractor at https://www.ontario.ca/page/hiring-roofer

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service Organized Fraud Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5292 or phone Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS) or toll-free at 1-800-222-8477.