A Montreal man faces fraud and other charges after credit cards were stolen from two people in Toronto and subsequently used to buy $25,000 worth of jewelry in Mississauga.

Toronto Police said the victims were tricked into handing over their credit cards by a man posing as a bank employee.

In both cases, the victims received a phone call last October from a man claiming to work at their respective banks. They were each told their credit cards had been compromised and arrangements were made for them to turn over their cards.

The man then sent a courier to pick up the victims’ credit cards from their Toronto homes, police said in an earlier news release.

The credit cards were subsequently used at either one or two jewelry stores in Mississauga, added police, who didn’t say if the same shop was visited on both occasions.

After the first credit card was obtained following an Oct. 1 call to one of the victims, it was then used to purchase $11,000 worth of jewelry, according to investigators.

Police said $14,000 in jewelry was then bought following the second fraudulent phone call, which was made on Oct. 3.

Toronto Police said in a news release issued Thursday afternoon they’ve made an arrest in the case.

Abdel Madjid Benmaou, 20, of Montreal, is charged with:

Two counts of false pretences
Three counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
Three counts of possess/use credit card obtained by offence
Three counts of unauthorized use of credit card data
Two counts of fraud over $5,000
One count of fraud under $5,000
Two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000

The accused is scheduled to appear in Toronto court on April 23.

Police believe there may be more victims.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.

Abdel Madjid Benmaou, 20, of Montreal. (Photo: Toronto Police)


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