Fraud remains a concerning issue in Canada’s automotive sector, with the latest attempt focused on a dealership in Belleville, Ont.
According to daily police briefs for the City of Belleville, an investigation began on Sept. 28 regarding the fraudulent attempt of two people to buy a new vehicle from a dealership. On Sept. 30 at 11:30 a.m., the police discovered two suspects — a man and a woman.
“The female was found to be in possession of fraudulent identity documents and banking information,” the police brief stated. As a result of the investigation, they said a 28-year-old man “of Toronto was charged with fraud over $5,000 and was released on an undertaking with a November court date.”
They also found that the 27-year-old woman from Brampton had similar charges from Vancouver and had previously been released on an undertaking. As a result, she was charged with “failing to comply with her undertaking, five counts of possession of forged identity documents, fraud over $5,000 and identity theft.”
She was then held for a bail hearing.
A list of the latest fraud scams can be found on the police website, which notes that current crime trends include identity theft, “skimming operations,” internet fraud (involving money orders), and mortgage fraud. The webpage also provides advice on what to be aware of.
