When someone stole my name: The hidden cost of engineering fraud

"I never imagined I’d see my stamp on engineering documents I didn’t authorize, but that’s exactly what happened. They signed off on design drawings, submitted reports to building officials, and offered services under the illusion of my expertise. At first, I thought it was a mistake — a clerical error; maybe a misfiled document, but as the evidence mounted, the truth became undeniable — this was fraud. Someone had impersonated me, and worse, they had used my professional identity to deceive clients and regulators.

My name and reputation, something I had spent years building into a symbol of trust and competence, were compromised, and I was forced to regain the trust of my clients. I was worried, people may look at my stamp with skepticism in the future and wonder if there was any reason to doubt its validity.

Engineering is a profession built on trust. When someone violates that trust by forging a stamp or impersonating a licensed professional, they don’t just commit fraud; they endanger lives. They undermine the entire system. And they leave real engineers, like me, to pick up the pieces. When I realized what was happening, I was shocked. I felt violated that somebody would use my name and hard-earned credentials to commit fraud.

I immediately notified Engineers Nova Scotia to bring this issue to their attention, and to help guide me through the process to determine how this happened and to protect me and my business. I was very impressed with Kris Dove, FEC, MBA, P.Eng., COO and Treasurer of Engineers Nova Scotia, who jumped in immediately and intensely understood the urgency of my situation. Their support and swift action gave me a feeling of reassurance I really needed. I was relieved I was going to have help to get through this and not be left to investigate this alone. They did all the legwork. I greatly appreciate their work and support.

We need to build awareness for people hiring engineers to ensure the validity of the engineer they are hiring, and to spot red flags that could be a sign of potential fraud, because behind every fraudulent stamp is a real person whose life might be impacted. And I was one of those people. I’m speaking out because I want to warn others. This can happen to anyone — even you, by someone anywhere in the world."

Engineering Fraud Awareness Campaign Launched

With an increasing number of unlicensed individuals offering engineering services—especially through freelance platforms, provincial engineering regulators from the Maritime provinces have launched a Fraud Awareness campaign to raise public awareness about the risks of hiring unlicensed individuals posing as engineers.

From homeowners who need an engineer’s expertise for complex electrical or drainage issues to homebuilders concerned about coastal erosion—this campaign empowers the public and industry professionals to verify an engineer’s credentials before they hire.

If someone suspects that they have been dealing with someone who is not a professional engineer, they can confirm if the person is registered with their provincial engineering regulator by checking the Member and Company Directory in that province.

We need to reinforce the importance of verifying licensure before engaging engineering services. Trying to get a cheap engineering stamp on a freelance platform greatly increases your chances of hiring a fraud. Someone performing professional engineering work must be licensed to practice professional engineering. And we can tell you who is and who is not licensed to do this work.