The Victoria Police Department wants the public to keep an eye out for bank draft fraud after a woman’s quick thinking halted a fraudster in action.
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The woman was selling a used vehicle, and on Oct. 13 met with a potential “buyer” interested in the car. He came to her home and told her he was in a rush, hoping to immediately complete the transaction. He handed her an envelope with completed transfer papers and the full asking price in the form of a bank draft.
But shortly after the buyer walked away, the woman started looking over the documents. It turned out to be an unlucky day for the fraudster because the woman had experience in the financial services sector and works with bank drafts. She immediately realized the ‘bank draft’ was a photocopied fake and went out to the vehicle where the man was ‘zap strapping’ new license plates onto the car.
The seller confronted the man and he apologized before fleeing the area.
The man is described as a 40-year-old, slim, Caucasian man standing 5-foot-7 with a tanned complexion. He had short black hair, wore glasses and smelled strongly of cigarette smoke.
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Anyone who has been victimized by or has information on this man is asked to call the VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654 or Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
