VANCOUVER – Surrey RCMP’s Economic Crime Unit (ECU) have arrested and charged two prolific offenders following an investigation into a massive credit card fraud operation.
The duo were responsible for more than a quarter million dollars in fraudulent offences.
On April 8, Surrey RCMP’s ECU received a call from a major Canadian bank saying one of their customer’s corporate credit card accounts had been compromised.
ECU officers allege that the two offenders worked together to defraud credit card companies of nearly $350,000.
On April 20, investigators executed four search warrants at two homes and a mailbox depot. They seized $20,000 in property, including a $10,000 bike, several computers, furniture and rare collector coins. The computers contained hundreds of credit card profiles. Investigators also seized 250 stolen credit cards, along with 450 pieces of stolen mail from Richmond, Surrey and New Westminster. A loaded shotgun was also found in a bedroom.
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Dean Gallo, 32, from Surrey, has been arrested and charged with fraud over $5,000, possession of credit card data, possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm while prohibited. He has been remanded in custody.
Hannah Denman, 26, from Delta, has been arrested and charged with fraud over $5,000 and possession of credit card data. She has been released on strict bail conditions.
“The amount of personal data that these two persons possessed was immense,” said Surrey RCMP Cpl. Scotty Schumann, in a release. “The information the pair had collected was being used to create credit cards for persons whose identities they’ve stolen. The fraudulently obtained cards were then used to buy merchandise which was sold for cash. With the help of our partners, including the Canadian Banker’s Association and Canada Post, we were able to bring this investigation to a close fairly quickly.”
Anyone with information about fraud is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.
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