https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/suspect-to-identify-in-montreal-road-robbery.aspx

Additional Suspects to identify in Montreal Road Robbery

Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2023

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 22, 2023  11:45 am

(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service Robbery Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying an additional three suspects involved in a theft on April 7, in the 300 block of Montreal Rd.

Following the theft incident, at approximately 3:30 am, these suspects proceeded to use the victim’s credit cards at a commercial store in the 300 block of Montreal Road.

Suspect 1 is described as a black male, medium build, with facial hair. He was seen wearing a beige and black jacket and a green and black hat.

Suspect 2 is described as a black male, medium build. He was seen wearing a black “puffer” style jacket with red hood lining and a beige shirt.

Suspect 3 is described as a black male, medium build, with facial hair. He was seen wearing a black shirt under a black hoodie and a black “North Face” baseball hat.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Robbery Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5116. 

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca. 

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CONTACT:

Media Relations Section

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366

 

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 2, 2023  11:43 am

(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service Robbery Unit is advising that the suspect has been identified.

We wish to thank the public and media for their assistance.  

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CONTACT:

Media Relations Section

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 1, 2023  9:25 am

Suspect to identify in Montreal Road Robbery

(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service Robbery Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a female suspect involved in a personal robbery on April 7, in the 300 block of Montreal Rd.

At approximately 2:15 am, several individuals engaged in a physical altercation with the victim. The victim had his personal property stolen and sustained serious injuries that are non-life-threatening.

The female suspect is described as white with long dark hair and tattoos on her hands. She was last seen wearing a black shirt and torn blue jeans.

The other suspects in this incident have been identified.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Robbery Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5116. 

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca. 

Ottawa Police warn residents about shady contractors

 https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/ottawa-police-warn-residents-about-shady-contractors.aspx

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 12, 2023  11:55 am

(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service is warning residents to be vigilant about agreeing to any repair work on roofs or driveways with door to door paving or roofing contractors.

The Fraud Unit has received 10 complaints in the past month about residents hiring these contractors, only to be scammed out of money.

“These guys are very organized, they will go up on your roof and come back with a photo that shows serious damage to scare their victims, only it’s a photo that was taken somewhere else,” said Fraud Unit Sergeant Chantal Arsenault. “And when they are at your door they will agree to lower their fees and push you to make a decision, taking large upfront cash payments, and then will either not complete the work or disappear.”

As we head into a heavy season for home improvement, it’s important to protect yourself. While most contractors are reputable, be skeptical of any that ask you for a lot of money upfront or offer incredibly low deals. And if they are pressuring you to respond quickly, just walk away.

For any work that you agree to have done on your home, get everything in writing before you hand over any money, including details of the exact work to be completed along with an agreed monetary limit on any extra costs.

You can protect yourself by verifying their business profile on places like the Better Business Bureau or by calling our partners at 211 to learn how to best proceed.

If you have been the victim of a contractor scam, you can visit our website to file a fraud report online.

Man charged in Ottawa based grandparent scam

 https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/man-charged-in-ottawa-based-grandparent-scam.aspx

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, May 10, 2023        1:05 pm

(Ottawa) – On May 5th, a woman in her 70s was contacted by phone and advised that her grandson was in trouble with the police, and that she needed to pay $10,000 for his bail.

She agreed to pay, and an unknown man went to her home to collect the money.

Days later, the woman was contacted once again, and asked for another $10,000. Alarmed, the woman contacted her son, and he called the Ottawa Police.

Frontline patrol officers attended the woman’s address and waited for the unknown man to come to pick up the 2nd payment of 10,000 dollars and arrested him.

The Ottawa Police Service Fraud Unit charged Kevin AIFUWA, 18 years old, of Laval, with Fraud exceeding $5000.

If someone calls and says they are representing a police service like the RCMP or the Ottawa Police, look up their phone number and call them directly to verify any information. If you can’t find a number, call 211, they can help, and ask them to connect you with the actual police service.

It’s always a good idea to call a trusted family member to discuss suspicious phone calls from strangers.

You can read more Ottawa Police Grandparent scam tips online or visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for more information on this and other scams.

Man charged with Fraud after selling stolen laptops online

 https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/man-charged-with-fraud-after-selling-stolen-laptops-online.aspx

(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service East Criminal Investigations Section charged a man following an investigation into a complaint from a person who purchased a brand-new laptop through an online platform, still in the box.

The unsuspecting purchaser later discovered it was a stolen item when he contacted the manufacturer for warranty work. Investigation revealed the seller fraudulently acquired numerous laptops from manufacturers and sold them as new through an on-line platform to other unsuspecting buyers.

On March 19th, Khaled HAWARI, 30 years old, of Ottawa, was charged with:

• 2 counts of Fraud exceeding $5,000
• 6 counts of Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime
• 6 counts of Obtain by False Pretence not exceeding $5000; and

one count of Public Mischief. 

He was released on conditions with a future court date.

Investigators believe that there may be other incidents and victims.

Anyone who may have purchased a laptop or other electronic device from Khaled HAWARI or “Kal” using an online platform (e.g., Kijiji) is asked to contact Det. Stephen Love of the Ottawa Police Service at loves@ottawapolice.ca or 613-236-1222 ext. 3546.

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca.

Are you familiar with the grandparent scam?

 https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/are-you-familiar-with-the-grandparent-scam.aspx

(Ottawa) – Organized Fraud Unit investigators have received over 10 reports about the grandparent scam in the past week and want to share a few safety tips with the community.

With this type of scams, the fraudster calls claiming be your grandchild or calling on behalf of your grandchild asking for money or gift cards. They prey on an unsuspecting victim’s fear of a loved one being hurt or in trouble.

Scammers will often also claim that there was a gag order in place and that you will not be able to verify any information.

“We continue to warn the public about an uptick in these types of scams, which target vulnerable populations,” said Organized Fraud Unit Staff Sergeant Cameron Graham. “Question if you are being told there’s a “gag order” in place.

Publication bans or gag orders are designed for the media to protect evidence and victims’ identities not to prevent you from talking to friends or your bank.  

If someone calls and says they are representing a police service like the RCMP or the Ottawa Police, look up their phone number and call them directly to verify any information.  If you can’t find a number, call 211, they can help, and ask them to connect you with the actual police service.

“Don’t be pressured,” added Staff Sergeant Graham. “Scams work because they don’t give you time to think about what is being asked. Call a trusted family member to discuss it or call your local police service.”

You can read more about this scam online.

'It’s heartbreaking': Ottawa woman says she lost $100,000 in an online investment cyber crime

 https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/it-s-heartbreaking-ottawa-woman-says-she-lost-100-000-in-an-online-investment-cyber-crime-1.6296899

• Tyler Fleming
• CTV News Ottawa Multi-Skilled Journalist
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Published March 2, 2023 7:03 p.m. EST

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Deborah Klein thought she bought a safe and guaranteed investment through an online site, but as it turns out, it was an elaborate scam.

"To save that $100,000 it took working eight years, three days a week," Klein tells CTV News Ottawa, as she looks through stacks of paperwork representing a more than two-year record of her loss. "To put to my retirement and now it’s gone."

In April 2021, Klein was looking to invest a portion of her retirement to help with the cost of living. After conducting a search online, she thought she found what she was looking for.

"This GIC came up for Canada Life," Klein says. "Everybody knows Canada Life, it has been around for ages. I was in finance and I remember doing payrolls with benefits and everything."

Klein downloaded a detailed brochure to research and decided on a guaranteed investment certificate that offered a return of 3.13 per cent on a four-year term.

"I didn’t know it was a fake brochure and they asked you to leave an email and your name and they will get in touch," says Klein, which they did. "They said you have to talk to an advisor, so I talked to an advisor and they said you have to prove who you are, prove that the money is not used for laundering, then the application contract and then they get you to do the wire."

To Klein, this all seemed legitimate. She says she researched the company and saw it had recently purchased an Ireland-based firm. That made sense to her because the representatives she spoke with had an Irish accent.

Three weeks after she made the large-sum money transfer, it was pointed out to her that it may have been a fraud. 

And it was.

The website Klein had been navigating that whole time was a spoof, a cloned knockoff, designed to look identical and legitimate.

It’s a problem afflicting many financial institutions. 

"A spoof website … has the same logo as your bank or an insurance company or financial services organization that sells products, the graphics look spot on, the copy is professionally written, no errors," technology analyst Carmi Levy said.

"And unfortunately they are very, very good to the point that even if you do do your due diligence it can be very difficult to tell the differences between these not legitimate resources and a legitimate bank or institution."

In a statement, a spokesperson with Canada Life said that the company is aware of this incident and are deeply troubled by the distress it has caused.

"Our financial industry partners work closely with regulators and the authorities on these issues when they arise to protect consumers from becoming victims."

Which is getting more difficult each day. Cyber crimes are surging and in 2022, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported more than $500 million in losses, the majority are considered to be financial investment fraud.

"It’s devastating to see how much loss is occurring and how much funds are leaving Canada and being laundered overseas," OPP Det.-Const. John Armit said.

"We’re seeing with these investment scams where the fraudsters are using professional money mules and money launderers to move the funds out of Canada overseas,  which makes it difficult for law enforcement to investigate and get the funds back."

Armit says if you are a victim of cyber fraud, it’s important to call local police immediately. In some circumstances, overseas wire transfers can actually be reversed.

"Canada is trying to do its part to investigate these frauds but it’s limited on what reach we have around the world," said Det.-Const. Armit, adding that prevention begins with cyber awareness.

"Go to the Ontario Securities Commission or your local securities commission and look up are they registered and that will give you an indication of it they are legit or not."

Levy says there are some key indicators to prevent being victimized by cyber scams.

"The biggest mistake that people are making is that they are searching for things online then clicking those links … never Google search for financial products," Levy says.

"What you should be doing is going right to the main homepage of the bank or the insurance company or the financial services institution that you know and trust and take a closer look at the address of the website itself and then put it up to the actual website of the organization that you think you are dealing with.

"Read it very carefully, look for any differences in letters, maybe an additional letter or so, or it isn’t the same domain or they added something to the domain and then when you are messaging back and forth with these individuals look for the email addresses that they are using. Are these the email addresses from the domain of the institution? Criminals are raising their game; they are investing more and using increasingly sophisticated tools."

Klein says her investment is likely gone, but wants to share her story as a cautious tale to prevent others from making the same mistake.

"In the old way, you would go there and bring the money in person. So I’m saying, be careful out there, it’s really bad," Klein says. "Really make sure before you make any investments because you don’t want to go through what I did, it’s devastating.”

Deborah Klein of Ottawa says she is out $100,000 after falling victim to a cyber crime in April 2021. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa).

Police warn of the dangers of texting explicit images

 https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news/police-warn-of-the-dangers-of-texting-explicit-images.aspx

 (Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service is warning everyone about the dangers of texting explicit images on social media platforms and the risk of falling victim to sextortion.

Detective Katrina Moore of the Ottawa Police General Investigations Unit says they receive complaints each week, with victims in all age ranges. Ottawa Police have received approximately 50 reports in the last two months.

“So much of our social activities involve texting, email, pictures and a presence on social media platforms. Predators are always there, looking for victims,” says Det. Moore.

Online predators look for victims by first befriending them and then asking for photos. “If you give them photos or videos, they will demand more images, or money, under threat of releasing the explicit photos to family and friends in your contact list.”

“This scam works because victims think they are talking to someone living in the same city and of the gender they are attracted to,” says Det. Moore. But she warns that the person you are communicating with could be anyone, anywhere in the world and not the person they present themselves as online.

To gain the trust of the victim, the online friend may offer to share intimate images too. In some cases, a predator can take control of the victim’s webcam, so they are unaware their device is recording them. 

These criminals are adept at concealing their online identity and their location is often outside of Canadian jurisdiction making it difficult to conduct a thorough police investigation. The media platforms do not readily share private user information with police investigators without a production order or search warrant and are often based all over the world, making it difficult to identity the suspect or organized criminal group responsible.

Safety tips for users to prevent sextortion:

• Limit the amount of personal information you post, to make it difficult for scammers to learn information about you.
• Set your social media privacy settings to limit who can contact you.
• Don’t accept unknown friend requests.
• Cover your webcam when you aren’t using it so you can’t be recorded without your consent.
• Don’t click on links or download files from unknown sources. Anti-virus software can help filter out potentially dangerous emails.
• Requests for intimate images of yourself should be a red flag and never send them to any social media platform or electronic device.

 Tips for parents:

• Look for resources on how to keep your child safe online. https://protectchildren.ca/en/ offers good tips.
• Monitor your child’s online activities, social media profiles and who they are friends with.
• Talk to them about befriending strangers online and the information they share.
• Make them aware of online threats like sextortion, fake profiles, and fraud.
• Let them know they can come to you with questions or problems, and that you can help if something has happened.

 If you are the victim of sextortion Det. Moore advises, “don’t try to handle this alone,”

and take these steps:

• Stop all communication with the extortionist,
• Save all texts, images, and communications
• If you are a youth, or even if you are legally an adult, tell your parent or guardian, so they can help you,
• Contact police,
• Make a report through Cybertip.ca
• Report the suspect user through the social media platform from which they are contacting you.

“Culprits count on the highly personal nature of the matter to keep you from coming forward. No one is going to judge you. Reach out to police. Chances are that this predator has several victims and you can help stop them.”