Three people are facing counterfeit-related charges after police say they uncovered a counterfeiting and forgery operation last week in the Evansdale neighbourhood.
On Sept. 13 police were executing a search warrant in the area of 151 Avenue and 95 Street related to a break-and-enter investigation.
Police say they found property in the home from a break-in complaint, as well as equipment that could be used for counterfeiting and forgery. Police say they seized identification cards, credit cards and stolen mail.
Krystin Moore, 30, William Schaffrick, 45, and Sebastiaan Van Den Biggelaar, 74, have all been charged with making counterfeit money, possession of counterfeit money and possession of forgery instruments.
Moore and Schaffrick have also been charged with break and enter commit theft.
Police said additional charges are pending as the investigation continues.
Protecting against identity theft
In the release issued Thursday morning, police outlined a number of ways to protect against identity theft.
Police urged residents to be wary of unsolicited emails, phone calls or mail asking for your personal for financial information. It’s also recommended to reduce the number of ID cards, debit/credit cards and membership cards you carry. If a card is no longer in use police say to be sure to cancel it, and report any cards that have been stolen.
When it comes to the numbers that protect your information, police recommend changing your PIN and passwords on a regular basis.
When paying for something, police said you should never let your credit/debit card out of your sight.
In public police said it’s important that your phone, tablet, laptop or computer are never unattended and that your wallet and purse are secure.
They suggest you obtain a credit report once a year through the two credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion.
All mail should be monitored and missing statements or unfamiliar transactions should be followed up on. If you have any lost or stolen mail, you should report it to Canada Post at 1-866-607-6301.
Tax returns should be shredded or stored in a secure place.
If you suspect that you are the victim of identity theft or fraud, report it to police immediately. You may need to contact your bank or credit card company, and place a fraud alert on your credit reports through Equifax at 1-800-465-7166 and TransUnion at 1-877-525-3823. Frauds should also be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Additional identity theft and fraud prevention resources are available to the public from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, RCMP, EPS, Service Alberta, Competition Bureau and Scam Detector.