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A popular family-run Calgary business has had its identity used in a job scam defrauding victims of thousands of dollars and possibly costing it its reputation.
Bowest Appliance Inc. contacted Global News after receiving a number of curious emails on Monday. Amanda Kadey, who screens all of the emails, said she was shocked by their content.
“People asking us about offer letters and if it was truly us,” she said. “If we were the ones who had sent them this information?”
The job offer letters looked like they had come from the company — right down to the logo. But once she did some digging, Kadey said she found one big discrepancy: the email address they had been sent from was not theirs.
Unfortunately, it was too late for some of those who had contacted them, including one person defrauded out of hundreds of dollars.
“$1,500 in this one case,” Bowest owner Patricia Warner said.
Bowest owner Patricia Warner and assistant Amanda Kadey look over emails.
Tomasia DaSilva
Bowest said it has heard from five people who have been victimized, and it appeared the targets were newcomers.
“One of the callers, he was a newcomer to Canada and is trying to get employment, which just breaks my heart,” Kadey said. “We all know it’s hard out there and I just couldn’t imagine coming somewhere new and being scammed right off the get go.
“Imagine being out $1,500 and a job you think you have, right?”
Warner, who has been the face behind the business for the past 22 years, said while she wasn’t out any money, this scam could cost her in other ways.
“Companies like us, we’re just a small company. It doesn’t only happen to the big guys,” she pointed out. “We are victims. It’s our good name. We are well respected in this community and we want to stay that way.
“When our good name is being used to deceive people it puts a lack of trust out there.”
Warner contacted police but said she was told that since Bowest is not an actual victim she couldn’t file a report. Global News also reached out to the Calgary Police Service, which is now looking into it.
“It’s unfortunate that in this day and age people are still being scammed,” Warner said. “We are being victimized — these companies that are being scammed — and there is nothing we can do about it.”
Warning issued by Bowest.
Credit: Facebook/Bowest
Bowest has now issued its own alert on all of its social media channels. The company also listed a number of warning signs, including the request for money in the form of gift cards, which one person was asked to do.
“They had to send this money for gift cards. No employer is going to ask you for money for gift cards on their behalf, ” Kadey pointed out.
Bowest is actually hiring right now as posted on its website, but Warner said it is done the “right” way.
“As far as hiring goes, I personally hire everyone that works here. Unless you have a personal, in-person interview with me – you don’t work for me.”
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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