Pubdate: Mon, 04 Aug 2003
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Doug Beazley

DRUGS TRADED FOR IDS IN NEW CRIME WAVE

Identity And Credit Card Scams Fuelled By Cheap Meth

Cheap, plentiful methamphetamine is fuelling a boom in sophisticated forms 
of identity fraud and credit scams in Edmonton, say city cops.

Det. Allan Vonkeman of the Edmonton Police Service commercial crime section 
said that he and his associate, narcotics Det. Bob Gauthier, started 
noticing in February a strong link between an increase in local meth busts 
and the discovery of highly organized fraud operations.

"We started seeing the people we were busting for meth, we found them with 
tons of information related to fraud," said Vonkeman. "I'm talking false 
IDs of every kind, cheques, counterfeit cheques and cash, stolen mail.

"The sheer volume is amazing. I'd find hundreds of pieces of identification 
in a single bust, stolen mail. All of these guys who are into (ID fraud) 
seem to be into meth, too. We're getting hit with an avalanche of material."

And these aren't garden-variety fraudsters kiting cheques. Vonkeman and 
Gauthier say the meth-fraud "cells" they've uncovered are run like 
successful businesses, combining the production of counterfeit government 
and payroll cheques, fake currency and drivers' licences with credit card 
fraud.

"When these (cells) come together, everyone in it tends to have a different 
aptitude," he said. "One guy cooks (manufactures meth), another robs cars, 
another lifts mail, someone else raids lockers.

"Where dealers used to trade coke for cash or moveables like TVs and VCRs, 
meth dealers are trading drugs for information - credit cards, drivers' 
licences. They create a hub - personal information goes in, drugs go out."

Much of the information used by the fraud cells is obtained from rifling 
private mailboxes - a good source of credit card numbers - and 
"dumpster-diving" to retrieve discarded mail.

Gauthier said the chronic methamphetamine addiction among these fraud 
artists seems to encourage them to explore more elaborate forms of 
electronic and Internet fraud.

"Speeders always have to be doing something, their hands always have to be 
busy," he said. "We go into their homes and we always find electronic 
equipment that's been taken apart, cellphones, computers."

"The meth use seems to come first, then the fraud," said Vonkeman. "This 
crowd is highly networked.

"One thing meth does is it keeps you awake for a long period of time. Meth 
addicts tend to think they're smarter than average people. And when you're 
awake for 72 hours at a stretch, you start concocting schemes."

Vonkeman and Gauthier said they have no statistics on how widespread 
meth-related fraud operations are in Edmonton. They said they want the EPS 
to consider setting up a dedicated police unit with the RCMP, and a special 
prosecutor, to work on the problem full-time.

"Enforcement is part of it, but there's a large educational component," 
said Vonkeman. "We're talking to judges, prosecutors, explaining to them 
why the real impact of this kind of fraud is much worse than they think. 
They've got to see the big picture.

"Federal prosecutors handle drug cases, provincial prosecutors handle 
fraud, so it's hard for them to see the connections," said Gauthier.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens