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In Canada, Complex Fraud Schemes Are Targeting Homeowners

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CANADA: Early this year, Toronto police announced they needed the public’s assistance in apprehending two people involved in a complex fraud scheme.

According to police, the individuals used forged identities to pose as city homeowners. They then sold the house and handed the keys to the unwitting new owners.

Meanwhile, the true house owners had been out of the country on business since January 2022.

After noticing their mortgage payments had vanished from their bank accounts, the out-of-town couple discovered their home had been sold without their knowledge.

The incident piqued the interest of many Canadians, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area and Vancouver, where real estate is considered a national obsession due to its high cost – the average home costs more than C$1m ($749,000; £620,000) – and scarcity of housing.

Similar stories from other Toronto property owners have since emerged, and investigators say these previously uncommon cases of property title fraud appear to be on the rise.

Housing Prices Have Increased In Canada

These types of cases are “definitely unique to this point in time,” according to Trevor Koot, CEO of the British Columbia Real Estate Association and a nearly 20-year industry veteran.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said, referring to the level of sophistication used to carry out these crimes.

What exactly is title fraud? How much has it increased in Canada?
Mortgage and title fraud are two common schemes involving home or property ownership.

According to Brian King of King Advisory International Group, a Toronto-based firm investigating white-collar crime, mortgage fraud is more common.

It is committed when a fraudster uses forged identification documents to obtain a second mortgage on a home they do not own, usually after the first mortgage has been paid off in full or nearly so.

Title fraud, on the other hand, involves tenants posing as the owner of a vacant home in Canada and selling it to serious buyers. This results in the property’s total title transfer.

If the home has title insurance, the real owner and buyer can usually get most of their money back. The insurance covers legal fees incurred during the process and aids in re-establishing ownership.

Mr. King stated that he had seen increased mortgage and title fraud frequency since 2020.

He said his firm had seen a “rash” of title fraud in recent years. In almost all cases, the homeowners lived elsewhere when fraudsters took over their property, in places such as the United States and China and Canada.

Title Fraud Is Rampant In Vancouver And Toronto

One of his clients, Mr. King said, was a couple who moved for work to the UK from Toronto canada in 2018. Their Canadian home was then sold from beneath them in 2022.

It was sold for C$1.7 million and had been completely renovated when they discovered it had been stolen last June. As of February, the couple was still canada working on getting their home’s title restored.

Between the 1960s and 2019, Chicago Title Insurance Company’s Canada branch saw only two cases of fraud – mortgage and title – according to John Rider, vice president.

They are currently dealing with dozens of cases, including at least five cases of title fraud, all in the Greater Toronto Area, which includes the city and surrounding municipalities.

Similar cases of title fraud have emerged in the province of British Columbia, which is home to Vancouver, where the average home costs C$1.1 million, albeit less frequently.

The BC Land Title and Survey Authority (LTSA) reported two attempts at title fraud since 2020, only one successful. The public corporation added that it is only aware of one previous case in 2019 and two in 2008 and 2009.

It maintains that these fraud cases are extremely rare, even though the LTSA processes up to one million land title applications annually.

canada

The Same Things Are Happening All Over The World

A similar case made headlines in the UK in 2021 when a man in Luton returned home to discover that the house and its contents had been sold without his knowledge.

On the other hand, property fraud cases in the UK appear to be on the rise. The UK Land Registry data provided to the BBC show an average of 41 reported mortgage and title fraud cases over the last four years. Cases peaked at 50 in 2016-2017.

Why are there more reports of title fraud?
Experts are baffled as to why there has been such an increase in reported cases, particularly in Toronto.

Mr. King believes that virtual real estate transactions during the pandemic may have made it more difficult to detect fake identification documents. He also mentioned that the pandemic in canada had forced some people to stay away from their homes for longer due to travel restrictions.

Others have noted the increasing sophistication of the perpetrators, some of whom have been linked to organized crime and appear to understand the Canadian real estate system well.

According to Mr. Rider, the fraudulent IDs used in these transactions frequently appear authentic, and perpetrators will hire skilled actors to pose as homeowners and carry out the scheme.

“IDs are so easily faked now that they can’t be relied on to close a C$3 million transaction,” Mr. Rider said.

There is also the financial aspect of these crimes. Real estate in Toronto has appreciated significantly over the last few decades, with the average home costing C$198,150 in 1996. It was C$1.18m last year.

“It makes sense that there is a lot of emphases on where real estate is really valuable,” said Ron Usher, general counsel for the Society of Notaries Public in British Columbia canada.

There is no escaping the fact that we live in a time when everything changes.

“These are not easy crimes to commit and are frequently caught and stopped.”

He and others have called for a national investigation to determine the underlying causes and whether more can be done to protect Canadian homeowners.

SOURCE – (BBC)

 

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Trudeau Accused of Sowing Divisions Between Sikhs and Hindus

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Trudeau, Pro-Khalistan separatists

Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Leader, has accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of sowing “divisions” that culminated in the violent altercation between Sikh separatists and Hindu devotees outside a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ontario.

Justin Trudeau initiated the question period by condemning Poilievre’s reticence regarding the violence in South Asian communities as “deafening.”

Poilievre refuted the assertion by accusing Trudeau of exploiting the matter to divert attention from domestic economic concerns.

“Consequently, he implements divisions in his residence.” Poilievre stated, “These divisions are the consequence of his actions.”

“Currently, sectarian riots are occurring on the streets of Brampton.” This has never occurred before the tenure of this prime minister. Is he accountable for the divisions he has incited and the ensuing violence?

Trudeau Must Assume Responsibility

Mr. Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Leader, requested that the Prime Minister assume responsibility for the divisions and violence in Canada. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed Poilievre’s refusal to obtain security clearance to review foreign interference documents.

Trudeau, who has frequently employed a phrase in the question period recently, urged Poilievre to undergo the security clearance procedure to receive a briefing from Canada’s intelligence and security agencies regarding potential threats to the country.

Trudeau’s remarks exacerbate an already precarious police situation, which has the potential to further deteriorate the diplomatic relationship between Canada and India.

Police dispersed a second day of demonstrations outside a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ontario, on Monday. The temple has been the site of violent clashes that have resulted in arrests and a public safety alert.

During the Indian consular officials’ visit to the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple in Brampton on Sunday at midday, violence erupted.

Peel Regional Police issued a public safety alert on Monday evening regarding the presence of weapons at a demonstration near a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ont. The demonstration had been the site of violent clashes between demonstrators the previous day.

Canada India Tensions

Social media videos depict demonstrators holding banners in support of Pro-Khalistan separatism, a proposed independent Sikh homeland in northern India, and engaging in physical altercations with other individuals, some of whom are holding India’s national flag.

Later, an off-duty Sergeant of the Peel police in Brampton, Ontario, was identified as one of the pro-Khalistan protesters.

In the interim, the violence prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a rare comment during a period of escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

“I unequivocally condemn the intentional destruction of a Hindu temple in Canada.” “The cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats are equally appalling,” he shared on social media.

No amount of violence will ever undermine India’s resolve. We anticipate that the Canadian government will maintain the rule of law and ensure justice.

Last September, Trudeau expressed that there were credible allegations that the Indian government was involved in the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, which marked the beginning of the deterioration of relations between the two countries. India has vigorously denied the charge.

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Police Officer Suspended for Joining Pro-Khalistan Protest

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Peel Police officer Brampton Ontario

A Brampton, Ontario, police officer was suspended on Monday following the viralization of a video on social media that showed him participating in a pro-Khalistan protest outside a Hindu temple.

According to CBC News, the suspended Peel Regional Police officer, Harinder Sohi, was videotaped brandishing a Khalistan flag while other participants in the protest chanted anti-India slogans. He was not wearing a police uniform.

Sohi served as a Sergeant for the Peel Regional Police.

In an email to CBC News, Media Relations Officer Richard Chin informed the organization that it is “aware of a video circulating on social media that depicts an off-duty Peel Police officer participating in a demonstration.”

“This officer has since been suspended in accordance with the Community Safety and Policing Act,” according to him.

“We are investigating the circumstances in totality depicted in the video and are unable to provide further information until this investigation is complete.”

Peel Regional Police have previously stated that three individuals have been charged in connection with the violence that occurred during the visit of Indian consular officials to the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple on Sunday.

Social media videos appear to depict demonstrators holding banners in support of Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh homeland in northern India, and engaging in a physical altercation with other individuals, some of whom are holding India’s national flag.

The videos appear to depict fist battles and individuals striking each other with poles on the grounds outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple.

According to Peel police, the event was ultimately relocated to two additional locations in the neighboring city of Mississauga, where additional demonstrations were also conducted.

Peel police acknowledged the protest on Sunday at noon and announced that they had increased their presence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple to preserve public safety and order.

“We acknowledge the right to peacefully and safely protest; however, we will not tolerate criminal activities or violence,” stated Chief Nishan Duraiappah in response to the videos’ dissemination.

“Those that do participate in this activity will be pursued, arrested, and charged.”

The violence elicited condemnations from Canadian political leaders at all levels of government and also prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a rare comment during a period of escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concern regarding the “deliberate attack” and requested accountability from the Canadian government, which Justin Trudeau heads. He anticipated that the government would uphold the rule of law and ensure justice.

PM Modi expressed his strong condemnation of the deliberately targeted assault on a Hindu temple in Canada in a post on X. The contemptible endeavors to intimidate our diplomats are equally repulsive. No amount of violence will ever be able to undermine India’s resolve.

In the interim, the Minister of External Affairs (MEA) expressed its “profound concern” regarding the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada, and it anticipates that those who engage in violence will be prosecuted.

The Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario, was the site of violent acts committed by separatists and extremists yesterday. We condemn these actions. “We urge the Canadian government to guarantee that all places of worship are safeguarded from such attacks,” stated Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the MEA.

Related News:

India Slams Trudeau Over Pro-Khalistani Sikhs Attack

India Slams Trudeau Over Pro-Khalistani Sikhs Attacking Canadian Hindus

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Pro-Khalistanis Sikhs Attack Hindu Temple in Brampton

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Pro-Khalistanis Sikhs, Hindu Temple, Brampton, Ontario
Pro-Khalistanis Sikhs attack Hindu Temple in Bramption Ontario.

Police in Brampton, Ontario, were summoned to the Hindu Temple after a group of pro-Khalistanis Sikhs attacked Hindu worshipers on Sunday. According to the Hindu Canadian Foundation, supporters of the Khalistaani movement in Canada helped to carry out the “attack.”

Following its posting on X, a video of the attack with demonstrators brandishing Khalistan flags at the Hindu Temple’s front entrance quickly became viral, inciting indignation among the Hindu community in Canada and India.

Chandra Arya, a Liberal MP from Canada, denounced the violence and claimed that under the country’s “freedom of expression,” extremists are getting away with it.

According to Arya, he began to think there might be some truth to the claims that Khalistanis have successfully infiltrated Canada’s law enforcement forces and political machinery.

Today, Canadian Khalistani fanatics have crossed a line. The attack by Khalistanis on Hindu-Canadian worshipers within the Hindu Sabha temple’s grounds demonstrates the extent and blatantness of Khalistani violent extremism in Canada.

In a post on X, he stated, “I start to believe that there is a sliver of truth in the reports that Khalistanis have successfully infiltrated not only our political apparatus but also our law enforcement agencies.”

It is understandable why Khalistani fanatics are receiving a free pass in Canada under the guise of “freedom of expression.” As I’ve been saying for a while, Hindu Canadians must stand up, defend their rights, and hold politicians responsible for the safety and security of our community,” he continued.

Peel Regional Police said they were aware of the demonstration in the city’s northeast and are investigating the situation.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, “We respect the individual right to protest, but it is still our duty and responsibility to maintain public order and ensure everyone’s safety. ” Therefore, we request the public’s help participating in and supporting a nonviolent and legal protest.

Peel police warned that any acts of violence, threats of violence, or vandalism would be looked into and said they would be more visible and present to keep an eye on the situation.

Taking his X account, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown also conveyed his dissatisfaction after learning of the “acts of violence” outside the Hindu Sabha.

“In Canada, religious freedom is a fundamental virtue. In their house of worship, everyone ought to feel secure. Brown stated in his letter that he is “completely confident that Peel police will do everything in their authority to keep the peace and hold those accountable who commit acts of violence.” “I strongly condemn any acts of violence outside of a place of worship,” Brown added.

“The violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton was unacceptable,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also posted on X.

Every Canadian has the right to freely and securely follow their religion. “Swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident” was how he praised the cops.

As Ottawa frequently rejected New Delhi’s demands for tough measures against Khalistani radicals in Canada, the incident took place during a time of poor relations between India and Canada. Instead, it sparked a huge diplomatic dispute by accusing India of targeting Khalistani people inside its borders.

India Accuses Trudeau of Harboring Pro-Khalistanis Criminals

India Accuses Trudeau of Harboring Pro-Khalistan Criminals in Canada

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Geoffrey Thomas is a seasoned staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. With his sharp writing skills and deep understanding of SEO, he consistently delivers high-quality, engaging content that resonates with readers. Thomas' articles are well-researched, informative, and written in a clear, concise style that keeps audiences hooked. His ability to craft compelling narratives while seamlessly incorporating relevant keywords has made him a valuable asset to the VORNews team.
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