Toronto Police anti-fraud officers are warning the public of thieves who are going around trying to take over our bank accounts.

Four people are behind bars after Toronto Police cracked an identity theft and fraud ring in which thousands of stolen gift cards were seized.

Police have announced the ‘takedown of an organized hierarchy committing millions of dollars in identity theft and financial frauds, including the seizure of thousands of stolen gift cards.’
Dubbed Project Hydra, the year-long investigation led officers to identify a chain of people from “low-level identity thieves to counterfeit identification makers and distributors,” police said.

The four suspects arrested face almost 100 criminal charges.

The force’s Financial Crimes Unit – Corporate Section opened a case in September 2020 to look into “multiple occurrences of identity fraud and bank account takeovers.”

“Suspects would steal the identities and personal banking information of unsuspecting victims,’ detectives alleged. “Using this information, they would create fraudulent identification and then employ other suspects to enter the financial institutions for the purposes of taking over the accounts.”

Police were able to identify the locations where suspects would pick up the fraudulent identification and six criminal code search warrants were obtained and served on September 2.

Seized in the searches were a $100,000 Porsche Panamera, $70,000 cash, fraudulent identifications, and electronic evidence including hard drives, cell phone and computer printers.

Investigators also discovered a business believed to be involved in the distribution of fraudulent gift cards. Officers recovered 37,000 gift cards, with potential values of $50 to $500 each, and 1,300 pre-paid credit cards, with an estimated value of $216,000.
The investigation into the seized gift cards is ongoing and more arrests and charges are possible.

Charged are Vladislav Tsyganok, 25, of Vaughan, Jamal Karama Sharif, 34, of Newmarket and Toronto, Asmerom Tsegay, 31, of Toronto and Nadia Campitelli, 46, of no fixed address.

The suspects face close to 100 fraud, identity theft, possession proceeds of property obtained by crime and dozens of other charges.

Fraud officers are warning the public never send your personal financial information through email, shred personal information before putting it in the garbage or recycling, never share your PIN with anyone and never click the link on text messages or emails from unsolicited sources.
Also be aware of postal mail not arriving as before, as there is the potential for identity thieves changing the address, only carry with you the identification you absolutely need and secure the rest, regularly check your credit rating with Equifax Canada or TransUnion Canada and  when purchasing a gift card, check the receipt at time of purchase and compare data on receipt to the numbers on the card.