Edmonton police link $20M phone scam to Pakistan centres

Edmonton police say a cellphone scam that impersonated Rogers, Telus and Virgin Mobile has cost Edmontonians an estimated $20 million, and that their investigation helped shut down several call centres in Pakistan believed to be behind it.

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) said in a Nov. 3 news release that it has received about 100 reports of the scam in Edmonton so far this year. Investigators determined the operation had been running since at least October 2024 and was linked to multiple call centres in Lahore, Pakistan.

Police said callers falsely claiming to represent major telecommunications providers offered victims free or heavily discounted phones and plans. Victims were persuaded to give personal information and order new devices through their real service providers. After the phones arrived, the victims got follow-up calls saying the wrong devices had been shipped and were told to send them to another address, where people tied to the scheme collected and resold them.

In early October, police executed a search warrant at a home near 97 Street and 113 Avenue and arrested a 31-year-old man. Officers seized suspected forgery equipment, fraudulent identification documents and electronic devices. The man has been charged with fraud over $5,000, trafficking in property obtained by crime and possession of forgery equipment. The charges have not been tested in court.

Information from the investigation was shared with international law enforcement partners in late October. Police said it contributed to enforcement action by local authorities that disrupted several of the suspected centres. EPS said it worked with telecommunications providers, shipping companies, Peel Regional Police, the RCMP and the Ontario Provincial Police.

“This scam is highly convincing and designed to exploit people’s trust,” said Cst. Brian Mason of the EPS Virtual Investigations Section. He urged anyone who receives an unsolicited offer for a free or heavily discounted phone to contact their service provider directly, using trusted contact information, before sharing personal details or taking any action.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted can contact EPS at 780-423-4567, or #377 from a mobile phone.

The case follows other fraud warnings, including scammers spoofing a White Rock RCMP detachment line in British Columbia, and the launch of the CSAFE fraud-sharing platform by banks and telecoms.

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Source: Edmonton Police Service news release, Nov. 3, 2026.