Grandparent-scam accused may have more victims: police

A man charged with defrauding a Côte-st-luc resident out of a lot of money this month through a grandparent scam might have other victims, the Montreal police allege.

Mark Anthony Fattibene, 24, faces two criminal charges, including fraud, following an investigation that resulted in his arrest on Sept. 14. He was granted bail at the Montreal courthouse four days later.

“Investigators from the economic crimes section have reason to believe the suspect might have other victims,” the Montreal police said in a release on Thursday.

“With the help of one or more accomplices, Mark Anthony Fattibene is suspected of having taken a large sum of money from an elderly person in Côte-st-luc earlier this month. The alleged fraudsters are said to have achieved their goals using a scheme known as the grandparent scam.

“Victims of this type of fraud are usually contacted by telephone by a caller claiming to be a loved one, such as a grandson or granddaughter, in serious difficulty. Fraudsters rely on the emotion created by the situation to extort money from the targeted person, on whom strong psychological pressure is exerted.”

According to court records, Fattibene faces similar charges in a case brought against him at the Longueuil courthouse in May.

Fattibene is white and speaks English and French. He is 5-foot9, weighs 165 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.

The Montreal police ask anyone who may have been a victim of Fattibene, or who knows someone who could have been, to go to their local police station or to contact 911 to file an official complaint or to provide a statement. It is also possible to provide information anonymously and confidentially by contacting Info-crime Montréal at 514 393-1133.