14 november 2018
The Section des crimes économiques of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) calls on the vigilance of seniors, their family members and their caregivers to prevent fraud and theft of which they could be victims in their home, in a private or public residence such as in a centre d’hébergement et de soins de longue durée (CHSLD).
Recently, the Section des crimes économiques of the SPVM arrested a 53-year-old woman working in a residence who stole a new credit card, in the mail, from a 91-year-old resident.
Once the credit card was stolen, the suspect called the bank pretending to be the resident. She obtained a new Personal Identification Number (PIN) by mail on the grounds that she needed to buy hearing aids quickly. The suspect was able to use the credit card to make various purchases and withdraw money from the bank machine.
When the fraud was discovered, the bank reimbursed the complainant and suffered a loss totalling $6,593.70. The suspect is no longer employed by the residence. She faces two counts of fraud over $5,000 and identity fraud with the intent of gaining an advantage.
Seniors victim of fraud and theft in their living environment
According to statistics, an increasing number of seniors are victims of fraud and theft that are often committed by someone they trust, whether they are a caregiver, a home care attendant or an employee of a private or public residence.
This situation of financial abuse can last for a while before someone notices it and the appropriate authorities are contacted to take action to end it quickly. Disclosure to the police service often occurs when the victim has reached a financial risk situation, which causes a lot of distress to the victim.
It is therefore important for seniors as well as family members or caregivers to ensure that the mail handling procedure is followed and also to keep an eye on bank accounts and expenses. If in doubt, it is important to contact the financial institution concerned.
Prevention tips