Police in Steinbach, Manitoba, have issued a caution about overpayment scams following a charity’s encounter with a fraudulent donation cheque. The charity, Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue, was targeted by a scammer who sent a cheque for thousands of dollars, claimed it was an error, and requested a refund of the excess amount.
According to Michelle Neufeld, the president of the rescue organization, a person identifying as “Kevin Vance Owens” contacted them via email in April inquiring about making a donation. Subsequently, a cheque arrived, which Neufeld deposited. The individual, Kevin, then alleged that an assistant mistakenly sent $4,000 instead of $2,000, with the extra $2,000 intended for another group. Kevin pressured the charity to return half of the money and requested a tax receipt.
Upon investigating the situation further, the charity discovered the cheque was fake and avoided falling victim to the scam. Neufeld mentioned that although they did not lose any money, they almost recognized the scammer as a significant donor.
In response to the incident, Neufeld stated that the charity would now await cheque clearance before issuing a tax receipt. Steinbach RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Maxwell highlighted the increasing reports of scams, including overpayment schemes, and emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant and contacting authorities if suspicious.
In a separate incident, Earl Funk, the mayor of Steinbach and owner of Earl’s Meat Market, recounted a cyber scam that led to his business losing thousands of dollars. An email purportedly from Funk requested an electronic payment for an invoice, a method uncommon for the supplier. Despite efforts to stop the transaction, $3,000 was lost.
Funk expressed feeling violated by the cybercrime and stressed the necessity of implementing stringent payment protocols. Moving forward, all payments from the business will require approval from either him or his wife to prevent similar incidents.
As scams become more prevalent, individuals and businesses are advised to exercise caution, verify transactions, and promptly report any suspicious activities to law enforcement or financial institutions to mitigate potential losses.