Two arrested in online scam

Edmonton RCMP uncover elaborate fraud based in Ghana

EDMONTON - An online fraud investigation by the RCMP has led to the arrest of two men in Ghana.

A western Canadian company reported numerous fraudulent charges on its credit cards. An investigation, led by the Edmonton RCMP commercial crime section, uncovered what police call a romance re-shipping scam.

The scam starts with people posting fake profiles on online dating sites. They build relationships very quickly with other unsuspecting people, before claiming that their favourite shopping site won't ship to the west African country. The scam artists then buy merchandise with stolen credit card numbers and ship it to the unsuspecting victim, who re-ships the products overseas, Cpl. Rob Moore said. By the time credit card companies and online retailers catch on, the products are gone and the victims are left with creditors on their doorstep.

A Canadian company reported a series of similar charges, Moore said. After an investigation revealed victims who had re-shipped the merchandise, the RCMP alerted Ghanaian officials. In this case, the scam had led to the shipment of a wide range of products, including TVs, DVDs, clothing, shoes, herbal remedies and computers.

"We're talking everything," Moore said.

The investigation led to the arrest of two Ghanaian men, ages 21 and 23, at an airport in the capital city of Accra, RCMP said today. They will be charged by the Ghana Serious Crime Office, said Moore, adding an arrest overseas is a rare success in these cases.

RCMP remind people to beware of such scams online. Anyone who asks to have something re-shipped by a third party may be involved in a similarly illicit operation.

Similar scams can be reported online at www.recol.ca.