Police authorities in Steinbach, Manitoba, are cautioning the public about overpayment scams following a recent incident where a fraudulent donation cheque was sent to a local charity. The charity, Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue, was targeted by a scammer who claimed to have mistakenly overpaid and requested a refund of thousands of dollars.
The president of the animal rescue, Michelle Neufeld, revealed that a person identifying as “Kevin Vance Owens” initiated contact via email inquiring about making a substantial donation by cheque back in April. Subsequently, a cheque was received and deposited by the organization.
Afterwards, the individual, posing as Kevin, informed Neufeld that an assistant had erroneously sent a $4,000 cheque instead of the intended $2,000, with the surplus meant for another cause. Insisting on receiving a partial refund, Kevin also pressed for a tax receipt.
Fortunately, the charity discovered the cheque to be counterfeit before any funds were returned. Neufeld emphasized the importance of verifying such situations before taking any action to prevent falling victim to scams.
While the animal rescue did not suffer financial losses, Neufeld mentioned that they considered honoring the scammer on a sponsorship plaque as a gesture for the supposed donation. Nevertheless, they remain vigilant and have adjusted their procedures to avoid similar incidents in the future.
In a separate incident, Earl Funk, the mayor of Steinbach and proprietor of Earl’s Meat Market, recounted a cyber scam that cost his business thousands of dollars. An email purportedly from Funk requested the market’s bookkeeper to electronically transfer payment for an invoice, a departure from their usual payment method of cheques.
Despite efforts to intervene and halt the transactions, the scammers managed to pilfer $3,000 from the business, leaving Funk feeling violated and vowing to enhance security measures. The bookkeeper has stepped in to assist with the financial loss, and new approval protocols have been implemented to safeguard against future fraudulent activities.
As scams become more prevalent, the local RCMP, including Staff Sgt. Mike Maxwell, urge individuals to exercise caution and to report any suspicious activities promptly. They emphasize the need to verify transactions and not succumb to pressure tactics used by scammers, advising affected parties to contact the authorities and financial institutions before taking any decisive actions.
