Posted:
(3:10 p.m.)
The HRP/RCMP Integrated Financial Crime Unit is issuing a warning about a fraud targeting university students.
Over the last few weeks, the HRP/RCMP Integrated Financial Crime Unit has received numerous complaints from university students about an employment scam. Students answered employment ads found on various student related websites looking to fill personal assistant positions with an overseas company. The student is then contacted by an alleged senior manager who explains that they will be receiving an amount of money either via a money order or company cheque. They are then to deposit the money in their bank account then wire transfer various sums overseas and keep a generous stipend for their trouble. The students are usually contacted by their banks in the following weeks advising them that the cheque was fraudulent and that they are out the money sent overseas. So far, we have seen this scam targeting students of all three major HRM universities.
HRM Partners in Policing encourage citizens to be suspicious of any calls or email asking for money and to make sure it is legitimate before sending money. Don’t give personal information to anyone, whether solicitation occurs by telephone, in person or by email, unless you have initiated the contact and you are certain of the identification of the individual and the legitimacy of the organization they claim to represent. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
Anyone who has been a victim of such a scam is encouraged to report it to the HRP/RCMP Integrated Financial Crime Unit at 490-1985 or online at https://www.halifax.ca/fire-police/police/reporting-crime