‘Very stressful’: $11K insurance payout lost in suspected email takeover scam

A Saskatchewan woman says she’s out thousands of dollars after an insurance payout never reached her account. Laura Woodward reports.

A Saskatchewan woman says she’s out $11,000 after an insurance payout never reached her account.

In January, Frances Ewanchuk’s son hit a deer — writing off the family vehicle.

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) approved an $11,000 payout and offered to send the money online.

Ewanchuk said her adjuster provided the password on the phone.

“As soon as I was done talking to him, I just went in and did it — but it wouldn’t work,” Ewanchuk told CTV News.

She got an error message.

SGI told Ewanchuk in an email that the funds “were successfully deposited from our end.”

Ewanchuk later realized the e-transfer wasn’t legitimate. It came from an email address not associated with SGI, and was flagged as spam.

Her bank — Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) — opened an investigation, but told Ewanchuk it can’t share who received the money or where it was deposited.

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RBC offered two explanations to Ewanchuk: her email was taken over by a fraudster, or the fraudster was able to obtain the password to redirect the funds.

“It’s very stressful,” Ewanchuk said.

Scammers struck when e-transfer was expected: tech expert

Tech expert Carmi Levy believes this is a sophisticated email takeover scam.

He said fraudsters likely gained access to Ewanchuk’s email ahead of time — and were quietly watching.

“Then, they very quickly pounce,” he said.

“It’s a stealthy type of fraud.”

Ewanchuk said she went into an SGI office to verify the adjuster’s phone number.

“It was legit,” Ewanchuk said.

While the number matched her adjuster, the person on the other end probably wasn’t from SGI, according to Levy.

“Call display can be spoofed. You can make it look like it’s coming from a legitimate number,” Levy explained.

SGI says money was deposited, police launch investigation

Levy believes the link Ewanchuk clicked wasn’t an e-transfer at all, but a way for fraudsters to get in.

And when the real payment came through — it was intercepted.

“They were able to redirect it into their accounts,” Levy said.

In an email to CTV News, SGI confirmed it does provide e-transfers up to $25,000.

SGI said it “cannot comment on specific claims” and that fraud issues are handled by banks and law enforcement.

Battlefords RCMP are investigating.

Ewanchuk is left wondering where her money ended up, but hopes police can recover the funds.

“We need that money, we’re down a vehicle, and I mean, that’s not petty cash,” she said.

Levy said while the scam is elaborate, it’s becoming increasingly common.

“Many of these incidents do not get reported,” Levy said.

“The victims are afraid to report them, they’re ashamed ... and that allows the fraudsters to essentially expand their business and target more victims.”