Scammers steal $6.7K through fake e-transfer links in marketplace purchases: EPS

Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is warning the public about an e-transfer scam targeting people selling on online platforms such as Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace.

EPS says it has received four complaints about the scam since Nov. 1.

In each case, the buyer sent the seller a link that appeared to resemble a legitimate e-transfer.

When the seller clicked the link, they were directed to a website that looked similar to that of their bank.

When they entered their bank username and password, the information was sent to the fraudsters, who were then able to access the seller's actual bank accounts.

So far this month, EPS says $6,700 has been lost to this scam.

"As e-transfers become a more common way to pay for purchases made through online buy-and-sell platforms, scammers are becoming increasingly creative with their tactics to gain access to your money and personal information," Det. Linda Herczeg, with the EPS financial crimes section, said in a news release.

"Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to detect this scam and protect yourself from financial loss."

When opting to accept payment by e-transfer, sellers should carefully review emails and website links to make sure they are legitimate.

Real Interac e-transfer links should come from [e-mail].

Review the email address of any e-transfer carefully and take note of any strange text.

If the link does not look legitimate, do not accept the transfer.

When redirected to your bank's website, verify the website is legitimate by checking its URL.

If the URL does not look right or contains strange text, do not enter login information and call your bank to confirm the correct website URL.

If you have e-transfer auto deposit set up, you will not need to log into your bank to receive payments, but you should verify the payment has been deposited to your account.

Alternately, ask the buyer for an in-person cash payment.

Buyers and sellers are also encouraged not to invite strangers to their homes, but to instead meet at a public location in daylight hours, ideally one with video surveillance, such as one of the EPS buy and sell exchange zones.

Anyone who believes they may have lost money or personal information in a similar scam is asked to call EPS at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.