Police are warning Whitehorse residents of a scam making the rounds.
It relies on sending fraudulent cheques to unsuspecting victims, who are asked to deposit those, send a portion of the money to another bank account, and keep the rest.
Once the victim’s bank figures out the cheque is fraudulent, the victim is on the hook for the money taken out.
In Whitehorse, the scam comes through a fake application to become a mystery shopper sent via text, Whitehorse RCMP said on Thursday.
In one case the victim received a cheque for $2,980.
The victim was asked to deposit it, send $2,480 to another account, spend about $100 at local stores and keep the remaining $400 as payment.
The victim was asked to to fill out a sheet detailing his or her experience at the bank and store.
“A legitimate employer will never send funds and request a portion of those funds back,” Whitehorse RCMP Const. Julia Fox said in a release.
“And always beware of unsolicited text messages or emails offering employment.”
Police advise people who have received similar offers and who have not paid the money to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or to visit antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
If you were a victim of the scam, contact Whitehorse RCMP at 667-5555.