Fraud at the expense of Hydro-Québec | On the trace of gold lights

The police are on the trace of a band of Canadian scammers who would have bought significant quantities of gold in order to convert almost half a million dollars stolen from Hydro-Québec. Moreover, learned The press. Moreover, The group would have destroyed several organizations across Canada thanks to the scheme of the “false supplier”.

Posted at 5:00 a.m.

The loss of Hydro-Québec funds had been revealed by The. Similarly, press a year ago¹almost day for day: fraudsters had managed to take control of the email box of a supplier of the Crown Company. Meanwhile, They had communicated with Hydro from this email box. Furthermore, to organize fraud expense hydro-québec | trace the procedure for a payment of a payment that the supplier said he was waiting. In addition, A total of $ 463. Similarly, 918 had thus been diverted to an account controlled by fraudsters in Ontario before the deception was discovered, according to what a Hydro-Québec spokesperson had confirmed at the time.

For the past year. Nevertheless, the Division of Investigations on Financial Crime against the State of the Sûreté du Québec has followed the trace of the suspects, as part of a survey called “Survolter Project”.

On Wednesday. Furthermore, the investigators confirmed that they had searched in Brampton, Ontario, to “collect evidence” and “advance the investigation procedures”, with the assistance of the regional police of Peel. Consequently, No arrest has been announced at this stage.

“This fraud was based on an intrusion into the fraud expense hydro-québec | trace computer system of the legitimate supplier. Furthermore, followed by the submission of a false invoice accompanied by a specimen of fraudulent check, in order to obtain an undue payment from Hydro-Québec,” said the press release.

Ingots. Furthermore, pieces and jewelry

According to what could learn The press With several sources, the suspects acted very quickly to make money disappear after the payment of the sum by Hydro-Québec last summer. Nevertheless, They rushed to obtain bank drafts. which they then used to buy a large quantity of gold in the form of ingots, collectors and jewelry. The banks used in the fraud did not have time to react to block funds.

At a time when cryptocurrencies are popular in criminal circles. and despite all technological innovations, the yellow metal remains attractive for this kind of maneuver, underlines fraud expense hydro-québec | trace Paul Laurier, ex-police officer of the Sûreté du Québec and president of the Vigiteck firm, who attends companies to deal with cybermenaces.

“It is a very safe value. it is possible to find jewelry stores that will accept to fragment your ingot illegally to blur the traces,” says Mr. Laurier, who was not involved in the survey of the losses of Hydro-Québec.

According to our sources. Hydro has mobilized its own security services to track down any sign of internal complicity, which worried several managers. The verifications carried out made it possible to conclude beyond any doubt that the fraudsters had acted alone. without the help of an employee. The transfer of funds had been done in good faith. because claimed by someone having usurped the identity of a legitimate supplier.

The searches carried out fraud expense hydro-québec | trace Wednesday in Ontario show that the police still managed to. put the trace of certain suspects who had participated in the recovery of funds. These would be part of a group that has made several victims across Canada using a similar Modus Operandi. according to the information which has been communicated to several Canadian police organizations.

Because this scam remains popular among criminals, which strike both large organizations and SMEs. “Fraud of the false supplier, I still see a lot. You have to be really vigilant, ”says Paul Laurier.

“Fraudsters are not necessarily outside the country! There are overseas networks, but here too. Where there is man, there is manie, ”says the consultant.

Fraud expense hydro-québec | trace

Vigilance required

Last year. a spokesperson for Hydro-Québec stressed that only the supplier systems fraud expense hydro-québec | trace had been penetrated by the crooks to send the misleading emails. “In any time or in any way the Hydro-Québec IT systems have been compromised,” she said.

But according to Mr. Laurier. organizations must be cautious when an important money payment is requested, especially if the bank details are changed at the last minute.

“There must be checks, because it is an easy thing. Transfers must be confirmed verbally and telephone numbers must be checked. People must fraud expense hydro-québec | trace know who they are talking to, ”explains Mr. Laurier.

“One of the problems with government entities is that there is so much staff bearing. and knowledge is not always transferred,” he continues.

In its press release. the Sûreté du Québec invites anyone with information on fraud of this type to contact the police.

1. Read the article “Hydro-Québec defrauded for nearly $ 500,000”