On Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, police were investigating a break and enter complaint. Information from that report led police to execute a search warrant on a residence in the area of 151 Avenue and 95 Street. Property from the break and enter was recovered and during the search warrant, police uncovered an alleged counterfeiting and forgery operation.
Numerous personal documents were uncovered including identification cards, credit cards, and stolen mail.
Krystin Moore, 30, William Schaffrick, 45, and Sebastiaan Van Den Biggelaar, 74, have been charged with making counterfeit money, possession of counterfeit money, and possession of forgery instruments.
Moore and Schaffrick were also charged with break and enter commit theft.
Additional charges are pending as the investigation continues.
Protect against identity theft:
- Be wary of unsolicited emails, phone calls or mail asking for personal or financial information.
- Reduce the number of identification, debit / credit, and membership cards you carry. Cancel cards that are no longer used and report stolen ones.
- Change your PIN and passwords on a regular basis.
- Don’t let your credit / debit card leave your sight at a restaurant, bar or business.
- Never leave your mobile phone, tablet, laptop or computer unattended, and secure your wallet / purse to prevent theft.
- Obtain a credit report once a year for free through the two credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion.
- Monitor your mail delivery, and follow up on missing statements or unfamiliar transactions. Report lost or stolen mail immediately to Canada Post at 1-866-607-6301.
- Shred outdated tax returns and unwanted documents, or store them in a secure place.
- If you suspect that you are the victim of identity theft or fraud, report it to police immediately. You may need to contact your bank or credit card company, and place a fraud alert on your credit reports through Equifax at 1-800-465-7166 and TransUnion at 1-877-525-3823. Frauds should also be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Additional identity theft and fraud prevention resources are available to the public from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, RCMP, EPS, Service Alberta, Competition Bureau, and Scam Detector.