A Durham SIM-swap fraud investigation has led to an arrest warrant for a 31-year-old Oakville man, Durham Regional Police announced on October 29.
Police say their Financial Crimes Unit began investigating in October 2025 after a victim’s cellphone unexpectedly switched to SOS mode and stopped connecting to the cellular network. The victim contacted the service provider and learned that the number had been targeted in a SIM swap.
Phone number allegedly used to bypass authentication
A SIM swap transfers control of a phone number to another SIM card. In this case, police allege the suspect used the victim’s identity and number to get past two-factor authentication and make purchases with the victim’s credit-card information.
The release does not identify the victim, state the overall financial loss or identify the businesses where purchases were made. It also does not announce an arrest.
Police identify wanted man
Police have identified the suspect as Jessan Vernet-Fort, 31, of Oakville. They say he is wanted for one count each of fraud over $5,000, mischief or tampering with computer data, unauthorized use of a computer to obtain computer service, and intercepting a private communication, along with two counts of unauthorized use of credit-card data.
Investigators say Vernet-Fort has ties to Ontario and Quebec. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Constable Kane of the Financial Crimes Unit at 905-579-1520, extension 5371.
The Durham SIM-swap fraud allegations have not been proven in court. Daily Durham also reported the police appeal on October 29. The warrant and alleged conduct described here are attributed to the police release.
