The RCMP have charged two Brampton residents, Carsten Mackay, 82, and Catherine Scollay, 42, with ripping off the government by using a dead person’s identity to collect $190,000 in pension benefits.
The Brampton pair benefitted from overpayment of Old Age Security (OAS), Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
The RCMP says that the initially, the complaint came from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)/Service Canada in December 2016.
RCMP in a recent news release stated, “It is alleged that an application for the benefits was initiated fraudulently by [Mackay], using the legitimate beneficiary’s identity before his death and the payments continued long after he passed away.”
Mackay and Scollay defrauded the federal government of almost $200,000 by using a dead individual’s identity.They collected the payment of over 190,000 for over 13 years from government agencies through a joint bank account.
Mackay has been charged with fraud over $5,000, two counts of uttering forged documents, two counts of forgery, and two counts of identity fraud.
Scollay has been charged with fraud over $5,000 and two counts of uttering forged documents.
Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is encouraged to contact their local police, the RCMP at 1-800-387-0020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
