The Thunder Bay Police Service’s Economic Crime Unit is warning local businesses to be aware of a scam that targets employee paycheques.
The fraudsters pose as employees to intercept pay cheques via direct deposit.
In one such recent case, the local victim received an email from an employee requesting changes be made to their direct deposit information. The victim, believing the request legitimately came from the employee, made the requested changes.
Following the next scheduled pay day, the employee did not receive their pay cheque and the employer learned they had been the target of a scam.
Employers should be aware that fraudsters may have personal information about the employees they claim to be. This makes it easy to mistake a scam for a legitimate request from an employee.
The best defence against this kind of fraud is to take extra steps in verifying the person you are in contact with is the person they claim to be. Like any fraud involving unsolicited calls or emails, employers are encouraged to reach out to their employee independently.
Businesses are encouraged to review their policies and consider making changes that could better protect themselves and their employees from these kinds of scams.
To learn more about recently reported frauds and scams, and how you can best protect yourself, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Cetnre online at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.