A North Saanich couple has been scammed out of $20,000 in an email phishing scam, RCMP say.
The couple, in their 70s, reported that in January, they received what appeared to be a legitimate email from a Canadian bank telling them their account had been compromised, said Sidney-North Saanich RCMP Cpl. Doug Wilson.
The email asked for banking and personal information, which they provided.
They soon discovered that more than $20,000 had been fraudulently withdrawn from their account.
Phishing scammers often send emails at random and prompt the recipient to enter personal information into a website that looks identical to that of their financial institution. Some scammers are purporting to be from Canada Revenue Agency and demanding overdue payments.
“Of course, once the fraudsters have this information, they will very quickly use it to empty your bank accounts or rack up huge bills with credit card companies, using your name and personal financial information,” Wilson said.
Once the money is gone, the chances of recovering it are slim.
Wilson said the best course of action is to contact your bank directly to ask if the message is legitimate.
“The best way for people to protect themselves is through education so they don't fall victim to these scams in the first place,” Wilson said.
