(Ottawa)—The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) Fraud Unit, and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are warning residents of the greater Ottawa area about fraudulent calls where someone posing as an investigator offers to inspect your Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment to save you money.
In this type of fraud, a scammer claiming to be from Consumer Protection Ontario or something similar will claim that they can assist you in removing Notice of Security Interests (NOSIs), more commonly known as liens, to lower your monthly payments.
The fraudster may also propose to attend your property and take photos of your HVAC to determine if you qualify. The suspects use the opportunity to canvass your home and indicate they can help you get out of payments or consolidate your debt through a short-term high-interest loan or mortgage against your home (see more about this scam).
Before you let anyone in your home, do your due diligence, check directly with the service provider that is supposedly contacting you.
If you have received such a phone call, please contact Consumer Protection Ontario. They can be reached toll-free at 1-800-889-9768 or toll-free TTY at 1-877-666-6545. You can also contact them via their website at Ontario.ca/scams
We also encourage anyone who has been affected by the fraud to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by phone at 1-888-495-8501 (toll-free).
If you need help determining whether something is a scam or not, you can always contact our partners at Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario by dialing 211.
An Ottawa couple is reeling after a scam phone call from who they thought was a representative from TD Bank cost them $13,000.
Janel Nguyen and her partner Evan Dudley say that what seemed like an ordinary phone call from the bank's fraud department turned out to be a scammer trying to gain access to their identity and credit card information.
An Ottawa couple is reeling after a scam phone call from who they thought was a representative from TD Bank cost them $13,000.
Janel Nguyen and her partner Evan Dudley say that what seemed like an ordinary phone call from the bank's fraud department turned out to be a scammer trying to gain access to their identity and credit card information.
"They knew my name, obviously my phone number, my address, a bunch of different information that looked like it was within my banking details," Nguyen said.
"They basically told me that there was fraudulent charges on my credit card and they wanted to make sure it was me."
After a series of back and forth, the scammers said they were going to send her a security pin to allow them to lock the card and start a fraud case. All of this led to the scammers getting into her credit card account online and issuing cash advances until the card was maxed out.
Within thirty minutes, they realized what had been done and rushed to the bank to confirm and stop the transactions.
By this point Janel realized that her entire life savings were gone. She had been saving for three years in anticipation of a six-month trip around the world, her lifelong dream.
"In the blink of an eye – it's all gone," said Dudley.
The complications only soared when the bank told them the fraudulent transactions were not their responsibility, and the couple were on the hook for paying back the stolen money. The couple filed a police report and were told it is unlikely they would ever get the money back.
The bank also continues to charge the couple interest on the fraudulent charges.
"It just felt like we didn't find any support when we got to the bank. We didn't get the help we thought we were going to get," Dudley said.
TD Bank said in a statement to CTV News that they use "numerous security controls" to protect their clients and denied fault in this instance.
"Our security protocols and systems include technology that help us identify suspicious transactions quickly to protect our customers falling victim to financial harm," the bank said.
"We strongly encourage your readers and our customers to stay vigilant when it comes to suspicious or unauthorized activity on their accounts."
Specifically for Ontario, 1,209 victims were swindled out of roughly $111 million.
Adrianus Warmenhoven, a security expert with NordVPN, says personal information used by scammers to fool victims is more accessible than ever.
"There's a bigger picture that anybody has of you than people would normally assume to be online," he said.
"This consists of all these pieces of data, so if I can recreate this data, I simply am you, there is no difference any more. People do not understand they need to protect this digital persona, this digital part of them because if I can recreate it, I can do everything you can. "
He says banks should have an increased responsibility to their customers, as advancements in artificial intelligence and deep faking technology make fraud easier and more scalable than ever.
"I think they have a responsibility to mitigate these scamming possibilities that they help create as well," he said.
"They need to take a hard look and maybe reinvent some of the transactional procedures again."
The Ottawa couple are hoping that banks implement technology that can flag suspicious transactions faster and are warning others of the danger.
"Just hang up the phone and call your own bank back, there's no point in trusting anyone over the phone these days honestly," Nguyen said.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, December 21, 2023 11:45 am
(Ottawa) —The Ottawa Police Service Organized Fraud Unit would like to warn the community about fraudulent Liens on personal property (known as Notice of Security Interest-NOSI) and Mortgages that may be occurring in the Ottawa Area. Police has received information that individuals may be attempting to defraud unsuspecting homeowners in the City.
“This scam works when individuals knock on your door suggesting they can do free or nearly free repairs, or appliance installation in your home or consolidate outstanding debts into a mortgage,” said Staff Sergeant Cameron Graham with the Organized Fraud Unit. “The scam can take many months to play out before people realize they have been taken advantage of and can lead to the loss of individual’s homes to loan companies.”
The Ottawa Police offers Ottawa residents the following tips:
Be suspicious if a financial company approaches you, unsolicited at your home, indicating they can help you get out of payments or to consolidate your debt – especially for previous liens against your property.
Ask yourself: why is this person offering to help and how do they know about your own personal situation?
Remember no renovations are free and you could be paying through a lien.
Never share personal information or copies of any bills, financial statements, or mortgage papers with someone who knocks on your door.
Do not give in to high-pressure sales techniques - where decisions have to be made on the spot. Always involve people you trust for more oversight into this type of decision making.
Do not sign blank documents.
“We encourage everyone to talk about this type of fraud with friends and family, especially older and vulnerable people,” added Staff Sergeant Graham. “If you have contact with a vulnerable loved one, talk with them about how their banks can prevent suspicious money withdrawals.”
If you are concerned that a loved one has become a victim, you can check if there are liens against their home through the Ontario Land Registry Access ONLAND portal.
If you think you have been the victim of this type of fraud, please make a report online with the Ottawa Police Service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by phone at 1-888-495-8501 (toll-free).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 27, 2023 1:15 pm
(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service East Criminal Investigations Unit is seeking public assistance in identifying a suspect involved in several frauds across the city in August 2023.
The suspect entered the same commercial store located in Kanata, Barrhaven, Nepean, and Gloucester several times that month and purchased items with a fraudulent card.
Anyone with information as to the identity of this suspect, or information about these incidents, is asked to contact Det. Fortin of the East Criminal Investigations Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 3566.
Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, September 29, 2023 2:15 pm
(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service’s (OPS) Fraud Unit is warning residents to proceed cautiously with any door-to-door contractor sales after receiving an increase in the number of reports from residents.
In the past two weeks, the Fraud Unit has received five reports, with an estimated loss of $250,000 to Ottawa-area residents.
“It’s always the same pitch, they say they’re already in the area working on a neighbour’s home and can offer a great deal,” said Fraud Unit Acting Sergeant Shaun Wahbeh. “Most of the reports we are receiving identify the suspects as white males, typically in pairs, ages 40 to 50, with Irish or Scottish accents.”
The high-pressure sales pitch typically is for very expensive work, including foundation repair, which can cost upwards of $100,000. Money is asked for upfront, and in most cases the work is started but never completed, leaving the homeowner to foot the bill to clean up and complete the job.
“Protect yourself when you meet these folks at the door,” said A/Sgt. Wahbeh. “These individuals tend to rotate from city to city with the same scam and we started to see them return to Ottawa last month.”
When hiring contractors, a reputable business will take time to go through a contract and provide you with a quote for reasonable market rates. You can establish things like a ceiling on contingency costs as well as whether to pay a flat or hourly rate in a written contract. Be smart and look up the business on reputable websites like the Better Business Bureau, make calls to other contractors to ask for quotes to compare, and ask for references you can call. If the price being quoted sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
“The best thing you can do is to take their information and then do your research,” said A/Sgt. Wahbeh. “The more they pressure you to hand over money or act quickly or lose the opportunity, it’s a signal to walk away.”
If you need help determining whether something is a scam or not, you can always contact our partners at Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario by dialling 211.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, September 1, 2023 1:45 pm
(Ottawa) —The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is warning the public that there has been a significant increase in the risk of financial loss when conducting purchases through Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji.
In recent weeks, the Fraud Unit has received an increase in reports of fake ticket sales for the sold-out Taylor Swift concerts, with some complainants losing upwards of $2,000. Ottawa residents have lost more than $12,000 to this scam in the last three days alone.
Use caution if you are making an online purchase with an unknown seller. Fraud Unit Investigators are seeing a recent trend where buyers place large deposits on unseen goods with unknown sellers, only to never receive the product. It’s vital to take the time to meet with the seller, inspect what you are buying, and question anything that seems too good to be true. If you are not sure how to proceed, you can call our partners at Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario by dialling 211 or visiting 211ontario.ca, and they can help walk you through any questions.
New trend: Reverse e-transfer scams
We are also seeing a new trend of reverse e-transfer scams where residents think they receive payment or a deposit for goods. Sellers will often click links without carefully reviewing them, which gives criminals access to their banking information. Criminals are using fake and hacked social media accounts that look legitimate and then redirect the money to fraudulent bank accounts.
According to the RCMP, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported that they received fraud and cybercrime reports totalling a staggering $530 million in victim losses. Nearly a 40% increase from the unprecedented $380 million in losses in 2021. They further indicate that, unfortunately, the increase in financial loss isn’t tied to an increase in reporting—the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre estimates that only 5 to 10% of people report fraud.
“While police are there to help, and we will investigate and lay charges where warranted, a lot of these incidents rely on the courts to determine the process, including deciding what restitution is appropriate, which can often take years to resolve,” said Fraud Unit Investigator Constable Shaun Wahbeh. “This really is a buyer-beware situation, and residents need to be smart about how they shop online.”
If you have been defrauded, please file a report online at ottawapolice.ca/report. If you’re not sure, contact 211.
Visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which monitors trends that help to inform the public on how to avoid falling victim to new and emerging scams.
Landlord shows dead ferret allegedly left in freezer by vexatious litigant
14 hours ago
Duration0:30
Mark Gallant said he was shocked when he learned of Althea Reyes's history, but he was even more surprised after she moved out of his rental unit and he opened his freezer to find a dead ferret inside. Reyes, 56, was arrested in early August and faces charges including fraud, personation and uttering a forged document.
A woman known for using multiple aliases and being a vexatious litigant is accused of leaving a dead ferret in the freezer of a man who thought he was offering short-term accommodation to her brother, who may not actually exist.
Althea Reyes was designated a vexatious litigant in 2017 for repeatedly launching civil proceedings against people and businesses. The judge at the time said Reyes would "harass her foes" by using civil courts.
Reyes, 56, was arrested in early August and faced charges on 20 criminal offences including fraud over $5,000, personation and uttering a forged document.
When Ottawa police announced the initial charges, they said they were still investigating and more charges could follow.
That happened last week: Reyes is now accused of a combined total of 37 criminal and provincial offences in relation to alleged fraudulent activity.
CBC News has learned of other alleged victims who say they've gone to police about Reyes.
Althea Reyes walks out of a Toronto courtroom in 2016. (Jesse McLean/The Toronto Star)
Woman called 'out of the blue'
Mark Gallant said he was golfing when he met a woman named Rhose Mohaned. He mentioned to her he occasionally loaned his place out to people while he was travelling. The two got along well that day and exchanged numbers.
Gallant said he didn't hear from her until a few months later in February, when she called "out of the blue."
The woman, Gallant said, was looking for a place where her brother and his family could stay temporarily while they waited for their own home to be ready. Gallant said he was travelling at the time and thought it would be a nice way to help a new acquaintance.
"She moved in with their dogs and all her belongings here right from the get-go," he said. "I knew there was something up at that point, but we didn't realize the extent of what was going on."
Gallant alleged Mohaned failed to make payments despite an informal agreement between the two, and said their emails and exchanges soon took a turn "that just didn't seem to be right."
Althea Reyes is known to the courts for using multiple aliases over the years. (CBC)
"The short-term accommodation was for three weeks, maybe three and a half, four weeks until the house was ready for a brother," Gallant said. "But after a week or two, I kind of got the impression that there was something fishy about the arrangement."
Gallant said Mohaned started requesting to stay in the house for as long as seven months, but he wasn't prepared to accommodate her because it was his own residence and that wasn't their agreement.
Using an alias
Gallant said he returned to the house about two weeks after Mohaned moved in and told her the arrangement wasn't working.
"I basically changed the locks and locked her out, and thank God I did that because after that, at that moment is when I kind of found out who she really was," he said.
Subsequently, Gallant began to doubt if she even had a brother or sister-in-law, and said no evidence of their existence was ever provided to him. CBC News has also been unable to confirm the existence of Reyes's relatives.
CBC's story examined a woman going by the name Maxine Adwella who was known as the head of the National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health (NCYMH). According to its website, the organization spent more than 20 years advocating for racially and culturally specific mental health services for young people.
But a 2020 court judgment found that a woman named Maxine Adwella is actually an alias used by Reyes.
Following that story, a lawsuit was launched against CBC by a Kamala Tiwari, but a Superior Court judge ruled in 2022 that any notion that the person behind the litigation could be anyone but Reyes "defies belief." The lawsuit was tossed.
A grisly discovery
Gallant said he was shocked when he learned of Reyes's history, but he was even more surprised after she had moved out and he opened his freezer to find a dead ferret inside.
"We have it on ice," he told CBC. "[Reyes] claims [it] is being used for taxidermy, but it's been six months sitting in here."
Reyes is captured on a doorbell camera during her stay at Mark Gallant's house earlier this year. (Mark Gallant)
Gallant has held onto the ferret, as well as some of Reyes's other belongings.
He did so because a Rhose MacDonald — a name later changed on the documents to Ziyan MacDonald — unsuccessfully tried taking him to Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board. Gallant said he waited for the case, and a subsequent appeal, to be dismissed.
No Rhose or Ziyan MacDonald ever showed at the hearings and the board tossed the case. Gallant said he has never met anyone with those names.
Gallant said he hasn't seen Reyes since March, and has been in contact with police about his experiences with her.
Suspicious encounter with neighbour
CBC News has spoken with another person who contacted police after an interaction with a woman he believed to be Reyes.
James Cybulsi first met the woman when she rented an apartment in the same Ottawa building he lives in, sometime around the summer of 2020.
He said he knew her as Maxine Adwella, and the two first interacted in February 2021 when she came to his apartment asking to use his phone to contact her sister.
"I gave her my phone and instead of using it to make a phone call she scrolled and used the keyboard," Cybulski says. "And then I took it away from her."
He said he was upset in the moment but took no further action at the time. A few months later he was scrolling through his phone and noticed that his Google account had been used to give the National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, the organization connected to Reyes in CBC's 2021 story, a five-star review.
The NCYMH maintains an online presence but it is not registered as a charity with the Canada Revenue Agency. Its status was revoked in 2022 for a failure to file, and a 24-hour help line associated with it does not appear to be in service.
Reyes is facing a total of 37 criminal charges and provincial offences in relation to alleged fraudulent activity. (Ottawa Police Service)
Another attempted lawsuit
The NCYMH is a registered not-for-profit, but a broker representing the building listed as its registered office address said the group has never used the premises. Neither Reyes nor any of her known aliases is included on the group's list of directors.
Cybulsi believed Adwella was actually Reyes, and raised his concerns to the building manager. In March, Reyes tried suing Cybulski, the building's manager and its owner.
The civil claim was initiated in the name of Social Justice Network, but the court determined it was actually Reyes and tossed the case.
Superior Court Justice Heather Williams determined the Social Justice Network lacked the capacity to start a legal action, and concluded the lawsuit was "another in a series of actions started by Althea Reyes to harass people or organizations she is unhappy with."
"Once again, Ms. Reyes has used a name other than her own to start an action without seeking leave of the court, as her status as a vexatious litigant requires her to do," the decision said.
During the proceedings, a person claiming to be Rhose Mohaned briefly appeared on behalf of the Social Justice Network.
Speaking out to warn others
Cybulski and Gallant say they're speaking out to warn others about Reyes.
"We want the attorney general to take some sort of action to make sure that Althea Reyes doesn't do this again, like her criminal activities and her vexatious litigations," Cybulski said, noting that Reyes's designation as a vexatious litigant hasn't stopped her from continuing to use courts and tribunals.
Given her history, Gallant is also concerned for others who may have crossed paths with Reyes and are unaware of her history.
"People that aren't as lucky as myself to have people that have been helping out, in terms of the connections," he said, referring to those who helped him delve into her past.
Reyes was first arrested Aug. 1, and is currently out on bail. None of the allegations against her has been proven in court. A lawyer representing Reyes declined to comment to CBC for this story.
Reyes told CBC earlier this week she is innocent of the charges against her and would be happy to grant an interview once her trial is complete.
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