The fraud spread

Photo By Pascal Huot
Fraud by credit card are also common.

Catherine Bouchard

Monday, 12 march, 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Monday, 12 march, 2018 00:00

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The complaints of fraud in payment cards has exploded in the past five years, in particular because of the technology that allows thousands of phishing attempts in a single click.

• READ ALSO : Abandoned in its fight against fraud

The Sûreté du Québec between 2013 and 2017, the cases of fraud have increased by 76 %, while in the Service of police of the City of Quebec, they have soared 121 % during the same period. In Montreal, the increase is more moderate at 29 % over four years.

“The technologies that enable fraud to the world, and only one person can send fraud mass to 10 000 people at the same time,” said captain Alain Gaulin, responsible for investigating the integrity of the economy of the Sûreté du Québec.

In SPVQ, it is noted that the increase in fraud is attributable to the increase in identity theft and fraud by computer (phishing).

Identity theft on the rise

Although the issuing companies of credit cards have added several security measures to counter the problem, such as PIN and chip, the fraudsters are not constrained.

“We see fewer and fewer cases of cloning of credit cards, but more the case of purchases without the card online and identity theft,” says Valérie Lamarre, spokesperson for the Desjardins group.

The surveys have become very complex and the perpetrators are difficult to pin down. For example, for the year 2017, on the 992 complaints of fraud submitted to the SQ, to date, only 179 of these have resulted in charges.

Deadlines

According to captain Gaulin of the SQ, not only are the files compared to the number of investigators assigned, but more investigations are limited by the statute of limitations. For fraud of less than $ 5,000, a charge must be filed within the following six months.

“Find someone who hides behind a computer in a public place, it is complex also. So I have to find out who is the guilty person among the 20 that were there, ” he continued.

A woman from Quebec who has been the victim of fraud denounces, moreover, the short limitation period. Marlene Morissette has filed a complaint with police in march 2017 after having identified, according to her, the suspected fraudsters who allegedly stole his credit cards at a party organized by his daughter to the house. She handed over the information to police, but she is shocked that no charges have been brought.

►The Sûreté du Québec relies on the month of the prevention of fraud, currently underway, to raise Quebecers ‘ awareness on this scourge.

FRAUD SOARING

•
Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ)

(fraud credit cards)

2013 to 2017

168 complaints 371 complaints (+121 %)

•
Sûreté du Québec (SQ)

(fraud payment card)

2013 to 2017

565 complaints 992 complaints (+76 %)

•
Service de police de la Ville de Lévis (SPVL)

(fraud, payment card and identity theft)

2013 to 2017

145 complaints to 214 complaints (+47 %)

•
Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM)

(fraud credit cards)

2013 to 2017*

850 complaints to 1100 complaints (+29 %)

* Preliminary data for 2017

A fraud victim denounces short period of time

Photo Catherine Bouchard

A fraud victim complains that the police Department of the City of Quebec did not make the accusations in his file even if it believes to have identified the suspects.

In march 2017, while Marlene Morissette was abroad, his daughter organized a small evening with friends at the home of the latter.

This evening coincides with the beginning of suspicious transactions made on the credit cards of Ms. Morissette. “They have been stolen from a wallet in the wardrobe of my bedroom”, she explains.

She claims to be defraud for about 3000$.

After having received a refund of financial institutions, Ms. Morissette has filed a complaint with the Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ) on march 14, 2017.

With the help of one of the traders in which a fraudulent transaction has been made, it claims to have identified one of the suspects, who was present at the evening of his daughter. She has had similar collaboration with other retailers, where she has obtained videos.

The items collected were delivered to the investigator on the file. “It left them with much to do,” says the woman from Quebec.

The record was finally exceeded the limitation period of six months and has been closed without prosecution.

“My goal was that justice be done,” she says.

The SPVQ explains that so solid seem to be evidence in the eyes of citizens, the test of the law is different. “Sometimes people have difficulty telling the difference between reasons and suspicions. You must pick up any solid proof,” says Étienne Doyon, a spokesperson to the SPVQ.