Breach of trust is a component of a fraud offence which makes the type of fraud more serious. Breaches of trust occur in fraud scenarios when an individual has used their particular position of power and authority to take advantage of another. Some examples of breaches of trust in the context of fraud are:
- An employee or employer using a client’s personal finical information to commit fraud and obtain funds from an account, or
- A family member taking advantage of another family member’s age, physical or mental limitations to gain access to their funds without proper consent.
- A professional using his or her power and authority to deceive others into proving funds under false pretences.
Breach of trust is seen as an exceptionally aggravating factor in sentencing and will result in a significant jail penalty if convicted.
