April 30, 2021 – Surrey RCMP are searching for a 23-year-old man after he defrauded victims of thousands.
Clayton Brooks Hayden is wanted on 13 counts of fraud under $5,000. He’s been charged and a warrant is out for his arrest, according to a release from Surrey RCMP.
The charges stem from a series of incidents last winter, between Nov. 6 and Dec. 24. Hayden allegedly approached the victims and asked them to deposit a cheque into their account via an ATM and withdraw cash for him. Days later, he would learn that the cheques were fraudulent. Police said the victims lost a combined total of more than $10,000 as a result.
“We want the public to be aware these types of fraud,” said Sgt. Ryan Forbes in a press release. “Protect yourself by never agreeing to a transaction which involves putting yourself in the role of becoming a financier to a stranger. Even though the person’s situation is presented as dire, err on the side of caution and never agree to cash a cheque on behalf of a stranger.”
Hayden was connected to a previous cheque scam in Coquitlam.
He’s described as a 23-year-old Caucasian male standing 5’9″, weighing 150 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes.
Surrey RCMP are asking anyone with information about his whereabouts to call 604-599-0502, or you can call Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-8477.
