The Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) is advising businesses and individuals of a financial scam that has occurred in recent weeks.
The scam was discovered after a Moose Jaw business received a fraudulent cheque with a US-based address from the scammer, who has not been identified.
In the incident, the scammer requested that the local business deposit the cheque and then immediately transfer a sizable portion of the total amount back to them. Thankfully, no money has been lost as the Moose Jaw-based business did not follow the scammer's instructions.
The cheque is addressed to a legitimate non-profit company based out of California, US. The company in question is confirmed to be aware of the fraudulent activity and has been co-operating with US law enforcement agencies.
Police have since learned that US law enforcement has been investigating several incidents where the same fraudulent cheques have been discovered in the US. This recent incident in Moose Jaw is believed to be the first instance of this scam occurring in Canada.
According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, this scam targets online job or employment postings.
To carry out the scam, the scammer will text or email individuals who post their resumes online with a fraudulent job offer. Following this initial contact, the scammer then sends a counterfeit cheque and creates an excuse as to why they need help cashing it. The scammer will then ask the individual to cash it and return a portion of the funds back to them.
To protect yourself and your business from cheque fraud, the MJPS has offered the following advice:
- Always verify that cheques are legitimate before cashing them
- If there is any uncertainty as to the authenticity of a cheque, request to speak to the business or individual on the phone or in person where possible
- Do not make decisions without carefully researching the offer that has been proposed. Before a decision is made, seek advice from an independent and trustworthy source
- Never send bank account or credit card information to someone you do not know and trust
- If you do cash the cheque and it turns out to be counterfeit, understand that you could be held accountable for the entire monetary loss by your bank
- Information including money-handling instructions should be requested in writing
- Always be suspicious of pleas for urgent action and stories that appeal to emotion
If you or someone you know has fallen victim to this or any other scam, you are asked to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501. More information about the Anti-Fraud Centre can be found online at AntiFraudCentre-CentreAntiFraude.ca.
If you have any information about this scam, including any evidence or suspicion that it may have originated locally, please contact the MJPS at 306-694-7600.
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