Mom approves of her son getting MPI summons through Facebook ruse

WINNIPEG – A Manitoba man may think it was inappropriate for Manitoba Public Insurance to use a photo of a bikini-clad blonde to trick him into getting a court summons through Facebook, but his mom thinks it was a good idea.

 Andrew Mykichuk says he recently opened up his Facebook page and saw what appeared to be a message from a woman he didn’t know.

But when he opened it up, there was notification of a court date from MPI.

Mykichuk says the ruse was in poor judgment, but his mother, Katherine Pellaers, says it was the right thing to do.

Pellaers says MPI contacted her a year ago looking for Mykichuk, but she didn’t know her son’s address.

She says MPI did everything they could to contact her son, who is of no fixed address.

MPI spokesman Brian Smiley says the tactic worked, adding the agency only uses social media as a last resort and must get permission from the court.

The picture of the woman in the bikini was taken from a public website.