Strategic Priority: Economic Integrity

The types of crimes driven by the motivation for profit are extensive and certainly not victimless. Illegal economic activity either robs or diverts funds away from hard-working Canadians. The confidence of Canadian consumers and investors in their economy can be shaken – their economic security undermined and their trust in institutions put at risk. Examples of crimes that impact Canada’s Economic Integrity include:

• an employee engages in insider trading, defrauding company stockholders out of millions;
• an individual files a false insurance claim for a staged auto accident, contributing to a rise in insurance rates;
• an organized criminal group finances activities by manufacturing and selling counterfeit batteries, threatening the safety of Canadians and diverting profit from legitimate business;
• a restaurant merchant uses a sophisticated payment card reader to overcharge its patrons, stealing their money and personal information; and
• an individual from another country engages in a telemarketing scam, taking the life-savings of a recently-retired Canadian senior.

The nature of crimes that affect the economy is rapidly changing. In the face of globalization and technological progress, criminals are operating beyond jurisdictions using sophisticated and continuously-evolving methods to find victims. Law enforcement plays an important role in strengthening and preserving the security and economic interests of Canada. However, maintaining Canada’s Economic Integrity is a complex issue that must be tackled in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, governments at all levels, the private sector and our international partners. Together, we must work to ensure that Canadians have confidence in their financial, currency and market systems.

Plans and Priorities

The RCMP will adopt Economic Integrity as a new strategic priority for 2006-2007 with a focus on preventing, detecting and deterring crimes that affect the Canadian economy. Education, awareness and enforcement initiatives to support the priority will be drawn from existing and newly-developed programs. We will continue to work with key partners and consult and engage our communities in driving out this new priority, with a strategic focus on the counterfeiting of currency and on corruption wherever it might occur.

The RCMP will:

• communicate effectively with citizens, partners and stakeholders
• enhance public awareness of the methods to reduce and prevent economic crimes
• formulate an up-to-date picture of the risks to confidence in Canada’s economy and prioritize investigations
• improve the quality of the intelligence/information process
• impact crime through education, prevention and awareness
• contribute to confidence in monetary, financial and market systems
• share intelligence with partners, and cooperate with enforcement units at the municipal, national and international levels
• reduce opportunity for crimes impacting Canadian market and financial systems with our partners

See also:

• Money Laundering - A Preventive Guide
• Information on Scams/Frauds
• RCMP Commercial Crime Branch
• Intellectual Property Crime
• Reporting Economic Crime On-line (RECOL)
• Phonebusters
• Interpol Intellectual Property Crime Action Group
• Integrated Marketing Enforcement Teams (IMET)
• Financial Action Task Force
• Financial Transactions Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
• Canadian Banker’s Association
• Information on Scams/Frauds
• Personal Information and Scams Protection - A Student Practical Guide