Police have 4 suspects to identify in Ottawa bank investigator scam

Police are looking at four individuals who could be involved in a bank investigator scam that officers have been trying to put an end to.

Ottawa police released photos of four people who are wanted in connection with a fraud case that has been ongoing for several months. Officials said in a press release that between April and September, bank investigator scams occurred in the central and west ends of the nation’s capital.

The incidents appear to be similar but might not necessarily be connected, police said in the press release.

Officers previously said that they have noted a series of “sophisticated” frauds involving suspects posing as bank fraud investigators from financial institutions. They use a spoofed caller ID and claim that the victim’s accounts have been compromised. Once trust is established with the victim, they hand over PINs and passwords and other sensitive banking information.

The fraudsters will then ask the victim to leave their bank card in a designated area for a “courier” to collect. Then the scammers rapidly withdraw funds or make large purchases.

The four suspects wanted in connection with these incidents are described as:

• Suspect 1 is described as an Eastern African woman in her early 20s. At the time of the incident, she was wearing a headdress.
• Suspects 2 is described as East Indian man in his mid-20s, with slim build and moustache
• Suspect 3 is described as the same as suspect 2
• Suspect 4 is described as a Black man in his early 20s, unshaven and wearing hooded sweatshirt

The last accused has previously been wanted by Ottawa police. In late August, police put out his photo in connection with another incident.

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On Aug. 21, a man called the victim pretending to be a financial institution that caught “suspicious activities” in his bank accounts. The call took place between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m.

The scammer told the victim to cut up his debit and credit cards and provide them in an envelop to a courier who would attend the victim’s home.

The victim stayed on the phone with the suspect until the fake courier picked up the cards near 7:00 p.m. After another hour, the call ended.

Charges laid in fraud amounting to $250,000 in losses

On Thursday, Ottawa police laid charges against two men wanted in connection with a sizeable loss to victims.

The two suspects were wanted for a fraud that resulted in $250,000 in victims’ losses.

A 25-year-old from Ottawa was charged with:

• Fraud over $5,000 x3
• Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
• Possession of criminal proceeds over $5,000
• Possess/use credit card obtained by crime x14.

A 22-year-old resident of Gatineau is facing offences of:

• Fraud over $5,000 x5
• Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
• Possession of criminal proceeds over $5000
• Possess/use credit card obtained by crime x16

These scams have been ramping up over the last several years. In June police said that victims in the city have lost about $400,000.