November
23 , 2006 -- (Kingston,
Ont.) - On November
23, 2006 members of the Ontario Provincial Police Anti-Rackets
Section, Eastern Ontario Economic Crime Unit, arrested and
charged three people in connection with a mass marketing
scheme.
Members
of the OPP Eastern Economic Crime Unit initiated an investigation
in early 2006, and with the assistance of the United States
Postal Service, identified several seniors in the United
States who had lost their life-savings.
The
victims were offered loans or lottery prizes, as well as
U.S. Treasury bills or bonds, in exchange for an advance
fee. They would be asked to send an undisclosed amount
of money to cover alleged fees, but would never see the
promised prizes, loans or Treasury bonds or bills.
All
of the victims identified to date are senior residents of
Massachusetts, California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Mexico
and Washington.
As
a result of the investigation the following individuals
from Kingston, Ontario have been charged with Fraud Over
$5000.00 and Conspiracy to Commit Fraud:
Warrants
are outstanding for three other individuals.
The
suspects have been released from custody and scheduled to
appear in Kingston Provincial Court on January 23, 2007.
The
investigation is continuing. Anyone with further
information is asked to contact the O.P.P. Anti-Rackets
Section at 705-329-6400 or Phone Busters at 1-888-495-8501.
During
the investigation, the O.P.P. received assistance from the
Kingston Police Service, Hamilton Police Service, Halton
Regional Police Service, Phonebusters and the Toronto Strategic
Partnership. This partnership is a joint-forces initiative
formed to combat deceptive telemarketing in and around the
Greater Toronto Area. Members of this partnership
include the Toronto Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police,
Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ministry of Government Services,
Competition Bureau, United States Postal Inspection Service,
United States Federal Trade Commission and the Office of
Fair Trade (United Kingdom).
