Police officials in Steinbach, Manitoba, have issued a cautionary alert regarding overpayment scams following a recent incident involving a charitable organization. The Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue disclosed that they were targeted by a scammer who sent a phony donation check, falsely claimed an overpayment error, and requested a refund of thousands of dollars.
The president of the organization, Michelle Neufeld, revealed that in the spring, they almost fell victim to an overpayment scam orchestrated by an individual using the name “Kevin Vance Owens.” The scammer initiated contact via email inquiring about the donation process and expressed a desire to contribute thousands of dollars via check.
Subsequently, a check arrived by mail, which Neufeld deposited. However, the scammer, posing as Kevin, later alleged that an assistant had mistakenly sent a $4,000 check instead of the intended $2,000, with the excess intended for another organization. Kevin insisted on receiving half of the funds back and also pressed for a tax receipt.
Upon investigating the situation further, the charity discovered that the check was fraudulent, thereby avoiding falling prey to the scam. Although no financial loss occurred, Neufeld mentioned that they almost acknowledged the scammer as a substantial donor due to the $4,000 amount, which would have qualified for a gold-level sponsorship.
Looking ahead, Neufeld emphasized that the charity will adopt a policy of verifying check clearances before issuing tax receipts to prevent similar incidents. Additionally, Steinbach RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Maxwell highlighted the increasing occurrences of scams, including overpayment schemes, and advised individuals to exercise caution and report any suspicious activities promptly.
In a separate incident, Earl Funk, the mayor of Steinbach and owner of Earl’s Meat Market, recounted a recent cyber scam that resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars for his business. Funk detailed how the market’s bookkeeper received an email purportedly from him, requesting an electronic payment for an invoice from a supplier, a departure from their usual payment method of checks.
After the bookkeeper made the payment, Funk’s wife discovered an unauthorized transaction, leading to the involvement of the authorities. While two of the payments were halted, one went through, resulting in a $3,000 loss for the business. Funk expressed feelings of violation and emphasized the need for enhanced security measures to prevent future incidents.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Funk highlighted the implementation of new protocols requiring approval from him or his spouse before any payments are processed. He underscored the importance of stringent checks and balances to safeguard against fraudulent activities and mitigate potential financial risks.
RCMP are warning Steinbach residents about overpayment scams. Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue nearly lost thousands of dollars when a scammer sent the charity a fraudulent donation cheque, claimed they sent too much money by mistake and asked for some of the funds back.
Tag: rewrite-pending