Police in Steinbach, Manitoba, are cautioning individuals about overpayment scams following a fraudulent donation cheque incident reported by a charity. The Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue disclosed that they were almost tricked by a scammer who sent a cheque claiming it was in excess and requested a refund of thousands of dollars.
Michelle Neufeld, the president of the organization, shared that a person named “Kevin Vance Owens” contacted them via email inquiring about making a donation in April. Subsequently, a cheque was received, deposited, and then an email from Kevin alleged that an error led to sending $4,000 instead of the intended $2,000, asking for $2,000 to be returned.
Fortunately, upon investigating further, the charity discovered the cheque was fake and did not fall victim to the scam. Nevertheless, Neufeld mentioned that they considered recognizing the scammer as a gold-level sponsor due to the significant donation amount, even though it turned out to be fraudulent.
Steinbach RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Maxwell emphasized the increasing reports of scams, including overpayment schemes, urging individuals to be cautious. He highlighted that scammers might try to pressure victims into hasty decisions and advised people to verify suspicious transactions with the bank or report to the authorities promptly.
Additionally, Earl Funk, the mayor of Steinbach and owner of Earl’s Meat Market, recounted a cyber scam incident where the business incurred a loss of thousands of dollars. Funk detailed how an email, purportedly from him, instructed the bookkeeper to make an electronic payment to a supplier, deviating from their usual cheque payment procedure.
Despite managing to halt some transactions, the meat market suffered a $3,000 loss. Funk expressed feeling violated by the intrusion and emphasized the importance of implementing stricter protocols to prevent future occurrences.
Both incidents underscore the need for vigilance against online scams and the importance of verifying transactions before proceeding, as cautioned by law enforcement authorities.