Peel Regional Police have charged two men in separate fuel card fraud investigations after uncovering schemes targeting trucking companies and independent drivers in Mississauga, Ont.
Investigators say both incidents involved the use of cloned or fraudulent fleet fuel cards to obtain diesel, in some cases reselling it at a discount.
In the first case, police responded April 1 to a report of a fraud in progress at a fuel station near Dixie Road and Britannia Road East. An employee reported a suspect was distributing fraudulent fuel cards to truck drivers.
Officers allege a dump truck driver used one of the cards to purchase more than $330 worth of diesel before returning it to the suspect.
Police arrested 27-year-old Praven Wijayanantham of Toronto at the scene. He faces charges including possession and trafficking of credit card data, and possession of an instrument for copying credit card data.
Officers seized several fuel cards, multiple cellphones, a laptop and a card scanning device.
Investigators allege the scheme involved capturing payment data from legitimate fleet card transactions, cloning the cards, and then offering discounted fuel to independent drivers. Those drivers paid the suspect directly, while the charges were billed to the victim trucking companies.
In a separate incident April 9, police responded to another fraud in progress at a fuel station near Atlantic Drive and Britannia Road East.
A suspect was observed using fraudulent cards to fuel four trucks, obtaining more than $2,200 worth of diesel.
Police arrested 28-year-old Thanisan Thanabalasingam of Brampton, who faces charges including fraud under $5,000 and possession of fraudulently obtained credit card data. Officers seized two fraudulent fuel cards, an unauthorized credit card and two cellphones.
Police said both investigations remain ongoing.
Authorities are warning drivers and fleets to be cautious of offers for discounted fuel, noting those who knowingly participate in fraudulent transactions could also face criminal charges.
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