RCMP sees rise in business email scams targeting Nova Scotians

CITYnews halifax / By Chris Halef

Police say they are seeing more reports of an email scam that has targeted Nova Scotians between March and October.

According to RCMP, investigators have seen sharp increase in what’s known as business email compromise scams, which involves scammers impersonating trusted business email accounts to deceive clients into sending payments to fraudulent bank accounts.

“Scammers create a fake but convincing email address that looks very similar to a legitimate business email,” said Cst. Karren Jensen, an investigator with the Nova Scotia RCMP Cybercrime Unit.

“The cyberattacker then sends an email to the businesses’ clients, indicating that the company’s banking information has changed. When the clients then go to pay their bills, they unknowingly deposit cash into the attacker’s bank account instead of the business’s.”

Mounties are offering up some tips for businesses, employees, and clients that help protect against BEC scams, which include:

• Verifying all requests: Always double check unusual or urgent requests for funds or sensitive information through a separate, trusted channel, such as a phone call to a known number.
• Being wary of lookalike domains: Be cautious of slight variations in email addresses.
• Implementing security measures: Use multi-factor authentication and other security solutions to help catch fake emails.
• Being educated: Know how to recognize the signs of BECs and what to do after receiving a suspicious email.
• Reporting the crime: If your business is a victim, report it immediately to your financial institution and your local police.

For more information about these types of scams, people can visit the RCMP’s website.