In July of last year, an 80-year-old Picton resident answered the phone and was told by a caller who said he was an employee of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) that she had won a special senior’s lottery jackpot worth $1.6 million.

All that was needed to collect her winnings were some administrative fees.

It started with bank drafts. Then cash. Then electronic money transfers. Then prepaid credit cards. 

She was coached to avoid divulging details: if anyone should ask, she needed repairs on her home.

Financial information allowed the scammers to access her bank account through online banking apps. At one point, a man came to her Picton home and picked up cash in a plastic envelope bearing the name of her bank. 

The promise of riches was always just beyond the horizon — after one more administrative fee payment.

By the time a manager at a local bank told the OPP he was concerned about the woman’s financials, she had already sent over $70,000 to a group of Toronto-based scammers.

In all, she was out an estimated $116,500, two-thirds of which could be traced to the Etobicoke apartment of a man named Oraine Williamson.

Mr. Williamson pleaded guilty to fraud last month, and faces sentencing at the Picton Provincial Courthouse in March.

“As family members get older, or 
if cognition becomes an issue, 
precautions like Powers of 
Attorney and just monitoring the 
financial activities of our loved ones can be an ounce of valuable protection 
against frauds and scams.”  

—OPP Staff Sergeant John Hatch

Frauds like this one, especially those targeting seniors, are a growing concern in the County as around the world.

In 2023, Prince Edward OPP Officers investigated 178 fraud-related incidents. Collective reported losses exceeded $800,000, although the actual amount is likely well over $1 million. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre estimates only about 10 percent of crimes are reported to authorities.

The final figures for 2024 will top those of last year in both numbers and scale.

House Calls

In the statement of facts read to the court in Mr. Williamson’s trial, Crown Attorney Adam Zegouras said the OPP advised the woman to change her phone number. But once that line of communication had been broken, the scammers sent taxicabs to the woman’s home, instructing cab drivers to pick her up.

Mr. Zegouras said Mr. Williamson was not involved in sending cabs. There were others involved in this scheme.

Upon arrest, police discovered an envelope containing a bank draft in the name of Oraine Williamson in his car, along with the plastic packaging the Picton woman had provided to the man who had visited her home.

Mr. Williamson sent wire transfers in smaller amounts, such as $900, to various individuals in Jamaica. 

“Mr. Williamson acted in concert with several other individuals, including persons by the name of Chris and Dowen Barnes,” Mr. Zegouras noted.

Based on the evidence submitted to the court, Oraine Williamson is just one cog in a nefarious international wheel that stole over $100,000 from a single person.

“We are tracking down individuals, and holding them accountable, and disrupting the operations of larger scale international criminal organizations intent on defrauding the vulnerable sector of our communities,” said Staff Sergeant John Hatch. 

“The public can rest assured we will pursue these types of individuals. Unfortunately in the vast majority of these cases we will likely not be able to recover funds because of how rapidly these groups launder criminal proceeds.”

Growing Problem

This scam was the largest single fraud perpetrated on a County resident in 2023. It could be dwarfed in 2024. In a separate case, Prince Edward OPP have brought 17 charges of fraud and theft against County resident Paul Marconi for thefts of over $500,000. He faces charges in provincial court next month.

Staff Sgt. Hatch said education and vigilance are the keys to fighting back against scammers. Police ask people to talk to vulnerable family members and others about scams and how to avoid them. 

“People need to consider that as their family members get older, or if cognition becomes an issue, precautions like Powers of Attorney and just simply monitoring the financial activities of our loved ones can be an ounce of valuable protection against frauds and scams,” he said.

Community Services Officer Nikki Cordingley notes the average loss for the citizens of Prince Edward County was about $4000. Most of the frauds were online (over internet/Facebook) followed by phone scams.  54 percent of fraud victims were women with an average age of 63 while 46 percent were men with an average age of 57.

The OPP is serious about bringing criminals to justice. “Falling victim to a scam can be embarrassing and your parent may not want to tell you due to fears that they will be perceived as incompetent. But fraud can and does happen to anyone, at any age. It’s so important to report scams to help your friends and neighbours from falling victim,” said Officer Cordingley.