A woman in Ontario, Canada, is facing five criminal charges after police say she used another person’s identity to obtain financing for a 2027 Mercedes SUV. The application was approved, but the vehicle never left the dealership.
The attempted purchase began September 30, 2026, when identification documents were submitted online to a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Durham Region. Those documents reportedly contained another person’s personal information.
Before the SUV could be released, the person whose identity had been used discovered the transaction and contacted the dealership. Durham Regional Police were also notified, prompting an investigation into the financing arrangement.
What initially appeared to be a completed vehicle financing application ultimately led to an arrest on October 8. Police have since released the suspect’s photograph and are searching for other potential victims.
Passport Raises Questions
The documents submitted with the financing application included a Canadian passport showing the suspect’s photograph alongside the victim’s identifying information.
The Durham Regional Police detailed the alleged scheme in an October 13 news release, explaining that a financial institution had arranged financing for the Mercedes.
Although the application was accepted, the intended victim’s discovery prevented the suspect from completing the purchase before police became involved.
Neither the dealership nor the financial institution was identified in the release. Police also did not specify the Mercedes model, the financing amount, or how the suspect obtained the personal information used in the application.
Arrest At Dealership
Police arrested Skylar Porter, 39, of Brampton, without incident when she returned to the dealership on October 8 to finalize the transaction and collect the SUV.
Following her arrest, Porter was charged with fraud over $5,000, uttering a forged document, personation, possession of an identity document, and possession of cocaine.
She was subsequently released on an undertaking, which requires her to comply with specified conditions and appear in court. The police announcement did not provide a court date.
The charges remain allegations, and Porter has not been convicted in connection with the case.
More Victims Sought
With Porter identified and charged, Durham Regional Police are now investigating whether they targeted others. Detectives released her photograph publicly as they appealed to anyone with information about similar incidents to come forward.