Alberta law enforcement is on the hunt for a Chestermere man accused of orchestrating one of the province's most prolific mobile phone fraud schemes, netting nearly a quarter-million dollars in stolen devices.
Edmonton Police Service investigators launched their investigation in January after uncovering an elaborate scam where the accused posed as small business owners and representatives, using forged documents to open accounts with major carriers Telus and Bell Canada. Once the accounts were activated, he would walk away with new smartphones—never paying a dime.
The numbers are staggering. According to police, the accused opened 70 fraudulent small business accounts and successfully obtained 143 new Apple phones across 97 separate incidents. The total value of the theft: $255,496.
"Due to the volume and value of phones that were fraudulently obtained, and the fact that this fraud is affecting small local cellphone retailers, we are warning the public about this prolific scam," said Staff Sergeant Marc Dehid with Edmonton Police Service's virtual investigations section in a Thursday news release.
Who Police Are Looking For
Police have charged Quoc-Tuan Huynh, 37, with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and two counts of uttering a forged document. The accused is also known to use the alias "Jimmy."
The investigation revealed the scam extended beyond Edmonton, with similar incidents reported across Alberta and British Columbia.
What Businesses Should Do Now
Authorities are urging retail business owners and cellphone retailers to heighten their guard. "We want to warn business owners to be on the lookout for the accused, and to make sure they're verifying customer identification according to their anti-fraud policies," Dehid emphasized.
Key protective measures include:
• Rigorously verifying business ownership documentation before opening any new accounts
• Cross-referencing business registration numbers and addresses
• Requesting multiple forms of identification from account holders
• Implementing strict anti-fraud protocols consistently across all transactions
For Calgarians and Albertans in retail or customer-facing businesses, staying informed about emerging fraud schemes is critical. If you suspect fraudulent activity at your business or have information about this case, contact Edmonton Police Service or your local police detachment immediately.
This article is based on reporting from the Edmonton Journal.