Authorities in British Columbia have successfully thwarted a fraudulent scheme that targeted a First Nation community on northern Vancouver Island, preventing over $400,000 from being redirected to a fake bank account.
The Namgis First Nation initially reported the incident on May 13, revealing that $406,000 earmarked for contractors working on a new wellness and treatment center had been rerouted through a fraudulent email to the bogus account.
Working in collaboration with law enforcement in Eastern Canada, Alert Bay RCMP managed to freeze a bank account believed to be associated with an organized crime syndicate.
Subsequently, officers conducted a search at a residence in Aurora, Ont., discovering suspected counterfeit currency, fake documents, electronic devices, and other items linked to organized financial crime networks.
Although the exact amount of the funds saved through the account freeze was not disclosed, authorities described it as a “significant” sum. The recovered funds are poised to be returned to the First Nation through legal proceedings, while the investigation into the matter continues actively.