Sunshine Coast RCMP are alerting the public of a recent case of cheque fraud that was reported on the Sunshine Coast.
According to RCMP, an offer of employment is made to the victim, and cheques are sent before or after the work is done. The work could be any type of employment, but will eventually involve money transactions. The victim is asked to deposit the cheques, keep some of it for themselves, and send money to a third party using a Western Union or similar money transfer service. The bank will then discover the cheque is fake or NSF, and take action to recover the money.
"These frauds are done by organized criminals who make the offer seem very legitimate," said Const. Jacob Joslin in a news release. "They may set up fake websites or borrow logos and company names from a legitimate business. Typically the scheme will be international, making it difficult for law enforcement.
"Be aware of any offers that involve instant cash transactions. This also includes items for sale. If you have not met the person who you are doing business with, or you have not viewed an item in person, you should be very cautious. Look out for companies that use free e-mail accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, G-mail, etc) to communicate."
To report fraud, contact RCMP at 604-885-2266, the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501, or consult: www.phonebusters.com.
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