A former employee at a local call centre is accused of using his work privileges for personal gain.
Police say from February to October 2014, the employee accessed the internal databases of one of his employer’s clients to make unauthorized purchases of cell phones and unauthorized changes to client accounts, including giving credits, providing upgrades and reversing billing charges.
In some cases, the clients were known to the employee.
In other cases, the fictitious accounts were created, using his residence as an address, to order several cell phones that were delivered to his residence.
He then advertised them for sale on a free online classified website.
The total loss of hardware and services as a result of the actions is over $38,000.
North Bay Police arrested Michael Patrick Armstrong, age 35, of North Bay, at police headquarters yesterday.
Police charged him with:
- One count of fraud over $5,000;
- One count of theft of telecommunications over $5,000;
- One count of falsification of books and documents;
- One count of possession of property obtained by crime;
- One count of trafficking in property obtained by crime; and
- One count of possession for the purpose of trafficking in property obtained by crime.
Armstrong was released from custody with a court date scheduled for June 30th.
