The Regina Police Service is warning of an email scam targeting businesses in our city. The scammers generally attack a business when it is making a payment transaction with another business. Although the initial email correspondence is legitimate, the email transaction can be intercepted. This is when the scammer will make slight changes to email addresses and account payment information – often so subtle that they go unnoticed.
Several Regina businesses have fallen victim to this scam in the past 6 months and, as a result, were defrauded thousands of dollars. The scam also comes in several other forms. To learn more about the many ways this scam can harm a business, please visit our website. In the meantime, please consider the following tips:
- Be wary of last minute email account address changes
- Be wary of last minute changes to account payments (ie: instead of sending a certified cheque, please wire transfer your payment to a specific account)
- Always check the details of email addresses for subtle changes ( ie: I instead of 1)
- Before sending large sums of money, it is best to confirm the details over the phone to ensure you have accurate information.
If you feel you or your business has been a victim of this scam or any other, please call the Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500.
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