It's a scam as old as banking itself, but RCMP Saskatchewan's "F" Division Commercial Crime Sections are warning the public of the resurgence of what is commonly referred to as the "bank inspector scam."
In this scam, an individual receives a phone call from someone who claims to be a bank inspector (bank manager, police investigator, etc.) and who knows the individual's name. The caller explains the financial institution is investigating a series of fraud cases that have been committed by staff at the individual's branch. They ask the individual to assist them by going to their financial institution and withdrawing a large sum of money.
The caller goes on to explain that because the suspected criminal works at the branch in question, the individual should not tell the branch staff why they are withdrawing the money. After the money is withdrawn the individual is instructed to meet the "investigator" at a pre-determined location. The money is exchanged and the individual is then instructed to return home and await an update confirming their money has been re-deposited into their original account.
Unfortunately, no call is ever received, the money is not returned, and the individual never hears from the "investigator" again.
RCMP remind the public, financial institutions never ask their clients to help in resolving internal or criminal matters, nor to withdraw money from their account.
"If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and call police," advises and RCMP release.
" Never give out your personal or financial information over the phone unless you have called the financial institution directly and they ask questions to verify your identity. If you do need to withdraw a large sum of money for legitimate purposes, request a bank draft or money order as this ensures only the intended recipient is able to access the money."
Criminals will not accept these type of payments as it creates a paper trail that can be used by genuine investigators.
Fraud Awareness is part of a national crime prevention campaign to increase Canadians' awareness of, and knowledge about, different types of fraud in order to help citizens to not become fraud victims. RCMP Saskatchewan's "F" Division Commercial Crime Section has offices in Regina and Saskatoon. Their role is to reduce the impact of economic crime on Canadians by maintaining the integrity of our economy through public education, crime prevention, and enforcement.
