A Montreal man is facing a series of charges related to a fraud investigation by Windsor police.
Officers went to a bank at Devonshire Mall around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Constable Talya Natyshak. It was reported that the suspect was trying to wire-transfer a large amount of money to another country. A bank employee became suspicious and believed the man was attempting to perpetrate fraud using phony identification. It was confirmed that the man was trying to wire-transfer someone else's money.
The man left the bank but was soon apprehended by police, who seized the material used in the attempted wire-transfer. Natyshak said the man also had personal information belonging to the victim. The suspect's true identity was eventually confirmed.
The Financial Crimes Unit reported that on September 18, the suspect was able to successfully wire-transfer a large amount of money to a foreign account. He allegedly used the same account he tried to wire money from on Thursday.
James McGowan, 63, of Montreal, is charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, five counts of possessing another person's identity documents, two counts of uttering a forged document, two counts of personation and one count of identity theft. These charges have yet to be proven in court.
Windsor police believe the potential is there for other victims and are asking the public to be extra vigilant with their banking information.
"It is important to never provide personal information online if you are not 100 per cent sure the information is being provided for a legitimate reason," said Natyshak. "Phishing e-mails can look very legitimate, and the personal information that may seem harmless to provide can then be used to commit more elaborate and sophisticated crimes. Fraudsters are always trying to find new ways to trick victims into providing their information. It is important to remain cautious and do your research prior to providing information."
Anyone with information on this or a similar crime is asked to call Windsor police at (519) 255-6700, ext. 4330. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Crime Stoppers at (519) 258-TIPS (8477).
