Police officials in Steinbach, Manitoba, have issued a cautionary alert regarding overpayment scams following an incident where a fraudster attempted to deceive a local charity. The charity, Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue, received a fake donation check from an individual identifying as “Kevin Vance Owens” inquiring about the donation process last spring. After depositing the check, the scammer contacted the charity claiming that an assistant had mistakenly sent $4,000 instead of the intended $2,000, and requested $2,000 to be returned.
Fortunately, the charity detected the fraudulent nature of the check before refunding any money. Although no financial loss occurred, the organization decided to include the scammer’s name on a sponsorship plaque as a potential gold-level sponsor. Moving forward, the charity plans to ensure checks clear before issuing tax receipts.
Meanwhile, Steinbach RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Maxwell highlighted the growing trend of scam reports, particularly involving overpayment schemes. Fraudsters often create a sense of urgency to pressure victims into hasty decisions. They utilize various communication channels such as phone calls, emails, and online platforms, and may request payments through unconventional means like prepaid cards or cryptocurrency.
In a separate incident, Earl Funk, the mayor of Steinbach and owner of Earl’s Meat Market, disclosed that his business fell victim to a cyber scam resulting in a loss of thousands of dollars. An email impersonating Funk requested the market’s bookkeeper to make an electronic payment for a supplier invoice. Despite the unusual request, the payment was made, leading to a loss of $3,000 before being partially recovered.
Funk expressed feeling violated by the incident and emphasized the importance of implementing stricter payment protocols to prevent future fraud attempts. He stressed the significance of verifying transactions and seeking assistance from authorities or financial institutions when faced with suspicious requests.
