1,500 cellphone users in Canada targeted in huge scam; Mississauga, Brampton residents among 10 charged

Ten people, including three from Brampton and one from Mississauga, face more than 100 charges in connection with a $1-million cellphone scam that targeted the stored data and other personal information of more than 1,500 cellular customers across Canada.

Toronto Police heading up what they describe as a “major SIM swap fraud investigation” said at a press conference Thursday morning they’re also on the hunt for two additional suspects. A SIM card is a smart card inside a cellphone that carries an identification number unique to the owner and also holds personal data.

In total, 108 charges have been laid against the 10 suspects, said investigators, adding the combined loss to individual victims, telecom companies and financial institutions is more than $1 million.

“Over 1,500 cellular accounts throughout Canada are known to have been compromised,” police added in a news release.

The sweeping investigation, dubbed Project Disrupt, began in June 2023 with reports to police from multiple telecom companies. Toronto Police Financial Crimes and Coordinated Cyber Centre units subsequently learned a number of people “had taken over the cellphone accounts of multiple unsuspecting victims and then made changes to the accounts allowing them to access and compromise many of the victims’ online accounts, including accounts at financial institutions.”

In many cases, police added, the culprits also ordered new cellphones, which were then charged to the compromised accounts.

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Additionally, those behind the scheme in many cases impersonated victims at cellphone stores “using convincing, fraudulent identification. Often, they would then also attend and use the same identification at the victims’ various financial institutions,” police said.

Culprits also gained access to cellphone accounts using phishing techniques, such as false web links and websites, investigators added.

Essentially, police said, those who take part in such scams gain access to cellphone accounts and are then able to “receive any emails or texts sent in relation to password recovery or changes and thus access and compromise any other accounts associated to the victim, such as online banking and social media accounts.”

During the course of the lengthy investigation, Toronto Police said they executed numerous search warrants, seizing more than 400 fraudulent pieces of identification.

Facing a combined 108 charges that include fraud over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime, intercept private communication, mischief to computer data, unauthorized use of a computer, personation with intent and other offences are:

• Syed Shan, 23, Syed Hunain, 22, and Waseem Abbas, 18, all of Brampton
• Ounali Hussain, 23, of Mississauga
• Noah Ibgui, 24, Huzaifa Motala, 20, Brandon D’Amico, 21, Maria Aguja, 19, and Owais Varachhia, 24, all of Toronto
• Muhammad Ibrahim, 20, of Winnipeg

Sought by police in connection with the investigation on similar charges are Nadia Campitelli, 47, and Hervine Umutijima, 26, both of Toronto.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.