Police publish images after resident reports caller posing as officer
The Service de police de Sherbrooke (SPS) is asking the public to help identify a person shown on bank surveillance video in connection with an alleged fraud reported on May 25 in Sherbrooke.
According to a police notice, the complainant received a telephone call from a man who identified himself as a police officer. The caller told the resident that a woman would arrive to collect bank cards and personal identification numbers (PINs), and instructed the person to place those items inside an envelope and leave it in an unlocked mailbox in the entrance of their apartment building.
The complainant followed the directions and later discovered the items were missing. Police say the complainant did not see who retrieved the envelope. Images supplied to investigators by a CIBC branch show a person making a withdrawal using the cards, prompting the request for public assistance.
- Date of incident: May 25
- Approximate time: around 5 p.m.
- File number: EG-2026-26208
“We are asking anyone who recognises the person in the images to contact the SPS,” the police notice said.
The SPS has not identified the individual in the surveillance photos, and the public notice does not indicate that anyone in the images has been charged. Police stress the request is part of the criminal investigation and asked that any information be relayed to the appropriate detective unit.
How residents can report tips
Anyone with information that could help identify the person is asked to contact the SPS criminal investigations division at 819-821-5544, extension 4418. Information also can be given through the SPS general line at 819-821-5555, or by emailing cindy.letellier@sherbrooke.ca.
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Investigations division | 819-821-5544 ext. 4418 |
| General SPS line | 819-821-5555 |
| cindy.letellier@sherbrooke.ca |
Impersonation schemes in which callers claim to be police officers are a recurrent form of fraud across Québec and Canada. They typically rely on convincing victims to bypass normal safeguards — such as handing over cards and PINs directly — by invoking authority and urgency. Local law-enforcement agencies advise citizens never to provide PINs or hand over bank cards to third parties, and to verify any request independently by calling a known number for the agency supposedly involved.
For residents living in multi-unit buildings, the case highlights particular vulnerabilities: shared entrances and communal mail areas can be exploited by fraudsters. The SPS notice does not specify which neighbourhood the complainant lives in, nor has it released the surveillance images publicly beyond the request for identification.
Police continue to investigate the incident and have underlined that identifying the person seen on the bank’s camera remains a key step in the inquiry. Anyone who recognises the individual or has relevant footage from around May 25, around 5 p.m., is asked to come forward.
This appeal for assistance follows other recent police advisories urging caution about phone and online scams. Residents are reminded that legitimate police officers do not request bank cards and PINs by phone, and that transactions or investigations requiring financial information should be verified through official channels.
Those with information can reference the police file number EG-2026-26208 when contacting the SPS to help investigators link tips to the case.
Local journalists will continue to follow developments as investigators release more details or announce any charges. In the meantime, Sherbrooke residents are being asked to remain vigilant and to report anything that could assist the investigation.
