Police warn downtown Calgary stores of scammers impersonating regional managers

Police are out with a warning about a scam involving suspects visiting Calgary retail shops and pretending to be regional managers.

Calgary police say several downtown stores were targeted between February and March 2023 with reported losses ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

It is alleged suspects would pretend to be regional managers and contact businesses like liquor stores and coffee shops.

The scammers would allegedly claim there was an urgent issue with a parcel delivery and ask staff to take cash from the store’s safe and deposit it into a bitcoin ATM. The suspects would threaten to fire the worker if they didn’t comply.

In one of the incidents, a suspect pretending to be a district manager contacted a store employee and claimed there was an issue with a new Point of Sale (POS) system the store was expected to receive. The employee then got a call from someone pretending to be a delivery driver and a text from someone pretending to be the store manager.

The employee was directed to withdraw cash from the business safe and send a bitcoin payment for the delivery.

“These fraudsters often pose as legitimate figures, using urgency and threats to manipulate victims into compliance,” says Sgt. Nick Wilsher of the CPS Crime Prevention Team. “Always verify the identity of the caller and consult a trusted source before taking any action.”

Any businesses that have been victims of similar scams are urged to call police at 403-266-1234, or submit tips to CrimeStoppers anonymously.

Police are out with the following tips to help protect businesses:

• If the caller stresses urgency, makes threats or insists you keep the conversation secret, it’s likely a scam.
• Consider whether the request aligns with regular business practices. If it doesn’t, it’s probably a scam.
• Contact the person requesting funds using numbers from your own business directory.
• Enhance security by requiring supervisor approval or a two-signature system for payouts.
• Maintain a paper trail through internal emails that can help track and verify transactions.

The Better Business Bureau has the following tips for the public:

• Stay calm: If you receive an imposter call, resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic or threatening the caller sounds.
• Don’t reply directly: Avoid responding to the call, text or email. Instead, contact the company or person directly to verify the message or call.
• Verify contact information: Visit the business’s website to find contact details and ensure you are dealing with the actual company.
• Seek help: When in doubt, consult a friend, a loved one or your local BBB for a second opinion. Always inform someone about the conversation.