Victims lose homes in door-to-door fraud that left hundreds scammed across Ontario
Published September 18, 2024 at 4:12 pm
A door-to-door scam that left hundreds of victims across Ontario including some who lost their homes has led to charges for men from Mississauga and Pickering.
The allegations come after a years-long investigation into a scam that saw the accused target elderly and vulnerable victims in a door-to-door home renovation scam, the OPP Serious Fraud Office says.
The fraudsters would come to victims’ homes and offer home service or renovation agreements “at exorbitant prices,” investigators say.
Many victims believed they were getting the services for free through government grants or rebates, but police say the scammers used fake agreements to register Notice of Security Interests without their knowledge, which are similar to a lien against victims’ homes.
The NOSIs were then paid off by the fraudsters using fraudulent, high-interest mortgages against the victims’ homes.
Many of the more than 200 victims across Ontario were left “in financial peril” by the scam and in some cases, victims were forced to sell their homes, police said.
“It is evident this fraud has been financially, emotionally, and physically devastating for many victims across the province,” police said of investigators’ interviews with victims, who were given support from the police victim support services.
Two men from Mississauga and Scarborough have been arrested and charged in relation to the scam, and police have issued Canada-wide warrants for three men from Toronto, Scarborough and Pickering.
Rajivan Thillainadarajah, 39, of Mississauga has been charged with multiple offences including fraud of $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Sajjad Ahmad, 40, of Scarborough has been charged with two counts of fraud of $5,000.
Canada-wide warrants have been issued for Anas Ayyoub, 23, of Toronto, Muhammad Waqar, 33, of Pickering and Muhammad Wasiq, 28, of Scarborough.
Police have released images of the suspects and say anyone with information about these incidents can contact the OPP by calling 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips may also be provided to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or visiting www.ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
When you contact Crime Stoppers you stay anonymous, never have to testify, and could receive a $2,000 reward.
