Members of the Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were called to a financial institution in the Township of North Huron, Wingham for a report of possible fraudulent documents and suspicious person on Tuesday, July 16th, 2024.
Just after 3:30 p.m. on July 16th, police were contacted by bank staff advising of a lone male that had attempted to open a bank account using a passport from a foreign country along with immigration papers and other documents. The male advised he lived and worked locally, however bank staff checked to find that the residential address the male provided did not exist. The bank also confirmed that he was not employed at the local business as he had claimed. When confronted with these findings, the male fled the bank, leaving some of the documents behind.
Huron OPP officers viewed the suspect’s passport and confirmed it to be a fake with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Police believe that the intention of the fraudsters is to open accounts with false identification, then gradually defraud banks of money over time.
Local banks are being made aware of this issue and are encouraged to contact OPP if something similar occurs at 1-888-310-1122.
