New Westminster police warn of marketplace scams after $3K stolen via fake e-transfer link 

A photo shows the back of a New Westminster police officer's jacket. (Twitter, New Westminster Police Department)

Police in New Westminster are warning the public of e-transfer scams targeting marketplace users.

The call for caution comes after one resident was swindled out of $3,000 via an Interac scam, Dec. 12, said the New Westminster Police Department in a release Friday.

The online scams usually involve fake emails sending an Interac e-Transfer notification that looks as though it has been sent from a legitimate bank. The receiver is prompted to click a link within the email and enter their personal banking information.

Once the scammers obtain that information, they can then gain unauthorized access to the bank account, enabling them to withdraw large sums of money.

“We strongly recommend setting up Autodeposit to protect yourself,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver in the release.

“With Autodeposit enabled, any Interac e-Transfer sent to your email address will go directly into your bank account, bypassing the need to click on email links.”

To protect against Interac e-Transfer scams, the New Westminster Police Department recommends executing caution when opening unexpected emails. Interac e-Transfer emails should only be opened when money is expected to be sent.

Always double-check the email address, as scammers often use email addresses with misspelled company names or generic domains that do not match the organization the sender is claiming to be from, and verify the content of the email carefully.

Using strong passwords adds an extra layer of security to online accounts, while opting for cash transactions for online marketplace purchases and sales helps to eliminate the risk altogether, police advise.

“To ensure safety, consider meeting in well-lit, public areas, such as the New Westminster Police Department lobby,” police said.