Former M.D. of Taber employee charged with theft and fraud
In February 2023, M.D. of Taber CAO Arlos Crofts reported to the Taber Police Service that a former employee, who provided clerical support for revenue collection, had allegedly misappropriated funds for her own use.
After a lengthy police investigation was conducted, police determined that the former employee of the M.D. of Taber had been allegedly stealing the M.D. of Taber funds, which equated to approximately $30,000, over a period of two years.
Jill Speer, 45, of Taber, was charged with theft over $5,000 and fraud over $5,000. Speer was scheduled to appear in Taber Court of Justice on Sept. 19.
“We are unable to provide much information on these allegations at this time, as the matter remains under investigation by the Taber Police Service,” said CAO Arlos Crofts in an initial statement. “However, we can confirm that we take the allegations seriously, and we are working hard to implement additional measures and safeguards to protect the MD’s financial systems and assets.”
According to an additional statement from the M.D. of Taber, the municipality had originally launched its own investigation into allegations of potential misappropriation of municipal funds in January 2023. The allegations were brought to M.D. leadership, in response to which the M.D. of Taber immediately launched an internal investigation and referred the allegations to the Taber Police Service for further investigation.
“In addition, the M.D. of Taber Council and Chief Administrative Officer are actively addressing this matter by taking proactive steps to reduce or eliminate such risk including additional external reviews, audits, process improvements, and control enhancements to safeguard our financial systems and assets,” said the M.D. in a statement.
“With respect to mortgages, some homebuyers hoping to enter a pricey real estate market are willing to fudge their salary numbers on an application,” said Carl Davies, Head of Fraud and Identity, Equifax Canada. “This isn’t just a ‘little white lie’— it’s fraud. It’s a serious crime. If interest rates remain high, this trend could easily accelerate in the months ahead.”
FRAUD & CAR THEFTS
The automotive industry faced supply chain challenges and reduced production during the COVID-19 pandemic. As these issues have gradually resolved, there has been a pent-up demand for vehicles, leading to a surge in applications from consumers looking to purchase or lease vehicles. Davies explains it has also encouraged fraudsters and car thieves to be more brazen in targeting auto dealerships.
“Auto theft rings are now more cunning than ever in their use of very convincing fake IDs,” said Davies. “Auto dealers and their sales staff face a range of tactics from fraudsters. Dealerships need to enhance their verification processes and equip their staff with the tools to effectively detect and prevent increasing identity fraud.”
Within the automotive space, identity fraud has emerged as a pressing concern, constituting 16.2 per cent of all fraudulent applications in Q2 2023.
CREDIT CARDS CONTINUE TO BE A TARGET
The creation of synthetic identities has become a common and concerning practice among fraudsters with respect to credit cards due to its effectiveness in evading detection and carrying out various types of financial fraud. Rather than using entirely fake information, fraudsters combine real and fake details to carry out their crimes.
“Credit card fraud is a pervasive and evolving challenge in the financial sector,” said Davies. “With the increase in fraudulent applications and the dominance of identity fraud, it’s imperative for consumers to remain vigilant in monitoring their credit card statements. Financial institutions must also ensure that both their fraud detection strategy and technology is up to date to stay ahead of the ever-bold fraudsters.”
Identity fraud continues to be a primary method used by fraudsters, making up 68.5 per cent of all fraudulent credit card applications, as demand for credit cards surpasses pre-pandemic levels.
To help combat fraud, Equifax Canada developed FraudIQ ManagerTM to streamline application reviews. It’s a comprehensive fraud prevention platform, combining advanced analytics and consortium-based fraud protection into one powerful solution.