The Abbotsford Police Department is warning the public about an email scam that defrauded two local businesses of $100,000 each.
Sgt. Judy Bird said the general investigation section and major crime unit are investigating the incidents in which fraudsters emailed two larger companies and requested they pay their invoices by e-transfers.
Bird said the scammers used an email address similar to a legitimate company, but the spelling of the company was off by one letter, easily missed during daily transactions.
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The clients e-transferred the funds to the fraudsters’ account, and they are now out the money that had been sent.
Bird said although this is not a new scam, other jurisdictions across Canada have had similar frauds involving larger businesses.
She advised that people not provide any money, financial, or personal information until they have verified the legitimacy of the person or the company they claim to represent. To check the legitimacy, contact the company directly, she said.
Bird also suggested checking the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (antifraudcentre.ca) for information on current scams and for anyone who have lost money or had their identity compromised to contact their local police.
People who haven’t been a victim but want to report a scam can call the anti-fraud centre at 1-888-495-8501.
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