A 35-year-old woman from Wasaga Beach faces numerous fraud charges after she was arrested May 29 for being part of an “organized group” that used identity theft to purchase expensive vehicles and then disappear.
Greater Sudbury Police Service said the woman was arrested after they received information of a suspicious transaction at a local luxury car dealership. The woman was attempting to buy a car valued at $77,000.
Police investigation subsequently revealed that the vehicle was being purchased with counterfeit identification.
“Through collaboration with our financial crimes unit, further investigation determined that this incident was one of many similar offences that have occurred across the province,” said police in a news release.
“This sophisticated organized group appears to target high-value brand new vehicles by gaining financing and licencing with identification obtained through identity theft. It is only later when the victim of the identity theft is contacted by creditors that the fraud is realized and by that time the vehicle and suspects are unable to be located.”
When the woman went to pick up the vehicle, she was met by officers instead. She was arrested without incident and was found to have three pieces of fraudulent — but very authentic in appearance — federal and provincial identification.
Her true identity was confirmed via police identification records.
She is charged with obtaining credit by false pretence, identity theft, personation with intent, three counts of possession of identity documents, fraud over $5,000, uttering forged documents and three counts of counterfeiting stamps.
She will appear in court on Aug. 12. The investigation into this matter is ongoing.
