A Toronto man is facing charges after police uncovered a phone scam they say is responsible for bilking U.S. citizens out of more than $200,000.
Joseph Paul, 47, was charged on Aug. 28 with two counts of fraud over $5,000 by the Toronto Strategic Partnership, a multi-agency group targeting cross-border fraudulent marketing schemes.
Paul is alleged to have run a lottery/inheritance racket that targeted U.S. citizens. According to a Toronto police news release, he would contact people within the U.S. by phone, telling them they had either won the lottery or were entitled to an inheritance.
However, in order to obtain the promised money, they were required to pay the taxes on the amount.
Victims of the alleged scam forwarded money orders to Canadian financial institutions, but never received any payout.
"To date, the loss to U.S. citizens is over $200,000 and it anticipated that there will be more victims," stated the news release from the Toronto Police Service.
Paul is scheduled to appear in court at 1911 Eglinton Avenue East on Oct. 17 at 2 p.m.
The Toronto Strategic Partnership is comprised of:
- Ministry of Government Services
- The Competition Bureau of Canada
- Toronto Police Service Fraud Massmarketing Unit
- Ontario Provincial Police Anti-Rackets
- Phonebusters
- RCMP-GTA Commercial Crime Section
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission
- U.S. Postal Service
- U.K. Office of Fair Trading
The members work out of Toronto Police Service Headquarters at 40 College Street.
