Police in St. Paul are warning the public after scammers targeted a local organization using "sophisticated spear phishing techniques."
The method involves the scammers duplicating a sales representative's email with a one character change, and continuing on a conversation that had already been started, for the buyer to make a purchase.
According to St. Paul RCMP, "The scammers provided a fraudulent bank account where the organization transferred the payment."
"Scammers who conduct spear phishing often have significant knowledge of the business conducting the sale, including names and upcoming transactions. They will then engage in conversations with the buyers through an identical method of communication such as identical email or a 'new' phone number that goes unnoticed, making the buyer believe they are talking to the legitimate seller and provide bank accounts to send the payment," according to information from RCMP.
Tips to avoid being a victim of the scam, include paying careful attention that an email does not change and ensuring a bank account is registered to the business being purchased from. If there is a sudden change in phone number, it could be a sign of a scam.
Unsolicited communication through text message only is also a sign to be cautious., along with "Sudden urgency, and high-pressure tactics to quickly resolve the matter."
RCMP also warn of any requests to money to be deposited in a Bitcoin ATM or sent through gift cards and the use of QR codes for payment.
If you, or someone you know, is a victim of this scam or any other type of fraud, report it to your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. For more information, visit: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
