As part of ongoing efforts to reduce fraud incidents, the Niagara Regional Police, Centralized Fraud Unit, monitors reports to identify recurring trends and scam methods.
Recently, police have identified the following recurring scam that businesses and citizens should be aware of which is the Phony Company CEO/Manager Scam :
Police have received complaints from local businesses that reported receiving similar emails from unknown scammers posing as the company’s CEO or Manager. The email address is very similar to the actual CEO’s email, with only a slight change that is easily overlooked. The email is typically directed to the finance or accounts payable staff.
The email will contain information regarding a new client or invoice to be paid and often includes a tone of urgency. The “CEO” instructs the staff member to transfer funds to an account or location as provided by the scammer. After the fact, it is realized that the email did not come from the “CEO” and the money was sent to an unknown recipient. These scams have resulted in significant losses.
Police urge businesses to be cautious of these scams and take steps to verify the legitimacy of transactions. Often, the information required to impersonate the CEO can be easily be found on the internet or company’s website.
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