Victim loses over $100K in St. George email scam: OPP

Email scam under investigation. (File Image)

Brant County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have issued a warning to businesses and individuals in the St. George area after receiving reports of a fraudulent email scam.

OPP say between April 23 and May 2, emails were exchanged between a business owner’s account and a client without the account owner’s knowledge. The suspect, who was impersonating the business owner, contacted the client requesting payment to a new account number, police said.

The victim transferred over $100,000 to the fake account.

“Fraudsters often contact companies using an email address that closely mimics an existing clients, with very slight changes such as an additional letter or number,” police said in a media release. “They then request the client to send payment to the fraudulent email account, often via e-transfer or by providing a new account number for payment.”

OPP are urging community members to remain vigilant if they receive emails from companies they regularly do business with and encourages people to follow up with a phone call to confirm any requested changes or additional payments.

"Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics, and it's crucial for businesses and individuals to remain cautious, verify any unexpected requests for financial transactions, and report any suspicious activity immediately," said Det.Sgt. Lisa Lambert of the OPP.

If anyone has any information related to this incident,or has been targeted by a similar scam, they are asked to contact police at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.