Police in Steinbach, Manitoba, have issued a cautionary alert regarding overpayment scams following a charity’s encounter with a scam artist who sent a fake donation check, asserted an accidental overpayment, and requested a refund of thousands of dollars.
Michelle Neufeld, the president of Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue, disclosed that the organization was almost ensnared in an overpayment scam last spring. The scammer, using the alias “Kevin Vance Owens,” initiated contact via email inquiring about the donation process. Subsequently, they sent a cheque amounting to thousands of dollars.
Upon receipt of the cheque, Neufeld deposited it, only to be informed by Kevin that an error had occurred, with his assistant mistakenly sending $4,000 instead of the intended $2,000. Kevin insisted on reclaiming the excess $2,000 and demanded a tax receipt.
Fortunately, the charity verified the authenticity of the cheque and avoided falling victim to the scam. Neufeld mentioned that despite not suffering any financial loss, they considered including the scammer’s name on a sponsorship plaque as a gesture of a potential donation and sponsorship.
Going forward, Neufeld emphasized the charity’s decision to await cheque clearance before issuing tax receipts. Meanwhile, Steinbach RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Maxwell highlighted the increasing prevalence of various scams, such as overpayment scams, and warned individuals to be vigilant.
Earl Funk, the mayor of Steinbach and proprietor of Earl’s Meat Market, shared a distressing incident where his business incurred substantial financial losses due to a suspected cyberscam. An imposter posing as Funk requested the market’s bookkeeper to make an electronic payment for an invoice from a supplier, leading to a loss of $3,000 despite efforts to halt the transactions.
Funk expressed feeling violated by the incident and stressed the implementation of stringent payment approval protocols within the business to prevent future occurrences of fraud. He acknowledged the bookkeeper’s assistance in mitigating the financial impact and underscored the importance of enhanced security measures to safeguard against cybercrimes.
The authorities advise individuals to exercise caution, avoid hasty decisions prompted by scammers, and seek assistance from law enforcement and financial institutions in case of suspicious activities. Vigilance and proactive measures are crucial in combating fraudulent schemes and protecting against financial losses.