2023-10-24 04:00:00
False medical status, theft of points or Inspire rewards, false reimbursements at in-branch cash registers… the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) has dismissed 26 employees over the last five years for fraud, we have learned The newspaper.
“Our customers have not suffered any loss following these events,” assured Daniel Collette, deputy information manager, in his response to a request for access from the Journal.
Last Thursday, The newspaper reported that Revenu Québec fired seven of its own employees for fraud in the space of just five years. However, the SAQ must also crack down on employees who defraud it, noted The newspaper.
In total, over the last five years, more than 26 employees have been laid off by the SAQ, for a total amount of $23,035.
Inspire Points Flights
Last year alone, 10 workers were let go. This is more than in 2020-2021 (4), 2019-2020 (7) and 2018-2019 (5). (See table at the end.)
“Examples of fraud may include communicating a false medical status, attempting to hoard points or rewards within the framework of our Inspire program or making false reimbursements at the checkouts of our branches,” illustrates Daniel Collette, at information from the state corporation.
According to Emeline Manson, cybersecurity trainer, the number of 26 layoffs in five years is “not that huge”.
Emeline Manson Photo courtesy
“On the other hand, I find that there is a big fluctuation from one year to the next. It would have been less worrying to see five per year,” she commented.
“We raise a lot of awareness regarding external fraud, but indeed, internal fraud is forgotten, and the internal teams who may witness it are little aware,” she analyzed.
The SAQ defends itself
Asked by The newspaper, the SAQ was quick to point out that it has 7,200 employees in Quebec and that it recorded sales of $4 billion during its last fiscal year.
“The number of frauds committed and the amounts involved must therefore be put into perspective considering the size of the SAQ and the nature of its activities,” replied its spokesperson Geneviève Cormier.
“The SAQ has an experienced and efficient team dedicated to security. It uses various means and techniques to detect problematic cases and we believe we are doing what is required to counter this phenomenon,” she concluded.
Table provided by the SAQ
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