An international cellphone scam linked to an estimated $20 million in losses in Edmonton has been disrupted following a police investigation that uncovered fraudulent call centres operating in Pakistan.The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) announced Tuesday that its investigation helped international authorities shut down several suspected scam operations in Lahore, Pakistan, while a 31-year-old Edmonton man faces multiple fraud-related charges.Police say the elaborate scheme involved scammers impersonating major Canadian telecommunications companies, including Rogers, Telus and Virgin Mobile, to trick customers into ordering expensive cellphones that were later stolen and resold.Investigators believe the operation had been running since at least October 2024 and targeted victims across Canada.The EPS launched its investigation in the fall of 2026 after identifying a large-scale fraud network using convincing telephone sales pitches to obtain cellphones through legitimate service providers.Victims were contacted by callers claiming to represent their cellphone companies and offered free or heavily discounted devices and phone plans.After convincing customers to provide personal information, the scammers instructed them to order new phones through their actual telecommunications providers.Once the devices arrived, victims received another call claiming the wrong phones had been shipped.They were then instructed to return the devices to a different address.Instead of being returned to the telecommunications companies, the phones were collected by individuals connected to the fraud operation and resold.Police say approximately 100 incidents have been reported in Edmonton this year, with estimated losses totalling $20 million..The investigation led officers to a residence near 97 St. and 113 Ave. in Edmonton, where a search warrant was executed in early October.Police arrested a 31-year-old man and seized suspected forgery equipment, fraudulent identification documents and electronic devices believed to be connected to the scheme.Johnathan Cesar, 31, has been charged with fraud over $5,000, trafficking in property obtained by crime and possession of forgery equipment.Information gathered by Edmonton investigators also helped identify several suspected scam call centres operating in Pakistan.Police shared their findings with international law enforcement partners in late October, contributing to enforcement operations by Pakistani authorities that disrupted several suspected fraud centres.The investigation involved cooperation between EPS, telecommunications companies, shipping businesses and police agencies across Canada.Among the agencies assisting were Peel Regional Police, the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police.Const. Brian Mason of the EPS Virtual Investigations Section warned that the scam was carefully designed to appear legitimate and exploit customers' trust in their cellphone providers."This scam is highly convincing and designed to exploit people's trust," Mason said."If you receive an unsolicited offer for a free or heavily discounted cellphone that might seem too good to be true, contact your service provider directly using trusted contact information before providing personal information or taking any action."Police are urging Edmontonians to be suspicious of unsolicited telephone calls, text messages or emails offering discounted cellphone plans or devices.Customers should independently contact their telecommunications providers through official websites or verified telephone numbers before providing personal information or agreeing to any offers.Anyone who believes they have been targeted by the scam is asked to contact Edmonton police at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone.Additional information about fraud prevention is available on the Edmonton Police Service website.
