Personal information being gathered by illicit online cannabis sellers: Edmonton police – Edmonton

Edmonton police are warning the general public a couple of regarding pattern through which persons are handing over private info to illicit on-line cannabis sellers.

Police stated ongoing investigations have revealed that organized crime networks are operating illicit on-line hashish ordering operations, throughout which they require potential patrons to supply delicate private info.

Police say the sellers are asking patrons to supply photos of their ID, themselves holding the ID and one other piece of documentation comparable to a utility invoice, which incorporates the potential purchaser’s handle.

Consumers usually are not conscious that their private info is then being distributed by way of legal networks, in line with the Edmonton Police Service.

“What’s regarding about that is that unsuspecting patrons are handing over their private info to individuals who have legal connections and, in some circumstances, convictions associated to identification theft and fraud,” Employees Sgt. David Paton with the EPS EDGE part stated.

“Being in possession of illicit hashish might end in legal prices, however being a sufferer of identification theft also needs to be a really actual concern, given the devastating monetary and private price of this crime.”

EPS communications advisor Cheryl Voordenhout stated it’s believed persons are heading to those websites to purchase hashish as a result of the product is being supplied at a reduction.

“They’re doing that in change for the non-public info that persons are sending them,” she defined.

“There’s no management over what occurs to that info. So people who find themselves related to legal networks now have your private info.

“The issue with identification theft is that it could possibly happen years later. It might not happen proper after the ID is taken. So as soon as your info is on the market, you don’t have any management over it when it’s going to somebody who’s related to a legal community.”

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Tips on how to shield your self from scams and identification theft

Up to now this yr, 15 individuals who police say are concerned in organized crime networks have been arrested beneath the Hashish Act and Managed Drug and Substances Act.

Weapons-related prices have additionally been laid by way of these investigations. Police stated a number of the individuals who had been arrested additionally had current legal prices or convictions for identification theft, break and enter, fraud beneath $5,000, bank card fraud and possession of stolen property.

Police stated in the course of the arrests, they discovered a whole bunch of textual content messages with photos of consumers’ IDs.

Police are reminding folks that Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) is the one authorized on-line retailer of leisure hashish in Alberta.

“For those who’re shopping for hashish on-line, your most secure wager is to purchase it by way of the AGLC’s on-line website,” Voordenhout stated.