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The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has made a pair of arrests and laid multiple charges in relation to a series of Taylor Swift ticket frauds that occurred in the fall of 2024.
On Nov. 14, 2024, the HRPS began receiving a number of complaints involving fraudulent or undelivered Taylor Swift tickets that were purchased from a third party vendor who utilized the Facebook profile name of Denise Blackhawk.
Investigators with the HRPS Financial Crimes Unit began an involved and intensive investigation as they continued to receive additional complaints from victims located inside and outside Halton Region both during and following the Toronto concert series.
As the investigation unfolded the Financial Crimes Unit received 75 complaints and confirmed 55 incidents of fraud connected to the third party vendor which totalled approximately $140,000 in losses.
On March 20, the HRPS executed a Criminal Code search warrant at a residence in Burlington.
As a result, the following items were located and seized by police.
- three Dell laptops and a Samsung tablet
- HP laptop
- paper documents
- four cellular phones
As a result of the investigation, the individuals below have been arrested and charged with the following offences:
Denise Tisor, 44, of Burlington:
- fraud - over $5,000 – defraud the public
- possession of property obtained by crime – over $5,000
- money laundering
David Blake, 56, of Burlington:
- possession of property obtained by crime – over $5,000
- money laundering
Tisor and Blake have both been released on an undertaking with a future court date in Milton.
Oakville News first reported on this case back in November last year, when the total theft was estimated to only by $70,000.
Read more here: Local woman arrested in $70,000 Taylor Swift ticket scam
Residents are reminded to exercise extreme caution when purchasing tickets online. Ways to protect yourself include:
- purchasing tickets from an authorized seller or through the venue’s box office
- avoiding ticket purchases from social media sites
- being cautious of tickets sold at lower than expected prices
Additional information on frauds and scams can be found on our website at https://www.haltonpolice.ca/en/staying-safe/frauds-and-scams.aspx
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Financial Crimes Unit at 905-825-4777 ext. 8739
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
"See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.