Charges laid in bank impersonation scheme that saw Calgarians lose $1.3M

A police vehicle is shown at Calgary Police Service headquarters on April 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Calgary police have charged three men in connection with a banking scam that saw victims lose a combined $1.3 million.

Police say the scammers would impersonate the bank of each victim targeted, telling them unauthorized transactions had occurred and their accounts were compromised.

It’s alleged victims were manipulated into providing sensitive banking credentials, including online logins and debit PINs, then instructed to put their bank cards into an envelope for courier collection.

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Police say couriers would retrieve the envelopes and deliver the cards to the scammers, who’d use them to withdraw large amounts of cash.

Last year, police received more than 80 reports of the scam.

“Our financial crimes investigation unit identified 15 of the impersonation scam files that were believed to be connected to the same group, which had occurred between March and August 2025,” police said in a Wednesday news release.

An investigation culminated with the search of a home in the 4700 block of Dalton Drive N.W. last Tuesday.

Two men were arrested.

Police say officers seized more than $59,000 in cash, debit cards, credit cards, identification cards and a small amount of cocaine.

A second home was searched in Edmonton, in the 14600 block of 52 Street N.W., the following day, at which time a third man was arrested.

Two 22-year-old men from Ottawa and a 25-year-old man from Edmonton each face charges of fraud, money laundering and theft.

“This investigation points to a far more extensive fraud operation and intelligence suggests this network extends well beyond Calgary,” said Staff Sgt. Peter Duchnij of the Calgary police financial crimes investigation unit in a news release.

“Our investigators remain committed to disrupting organized fraud networks and continuing to warn the public about these evolving scams.”

Anyone with further information about these incidents is asked to call Calgary police at 403-266-1234.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.