Bryan Hnatiw. Credit CBC
Ecol Laser Services’ Bryan Hnatiw prevented business from being scammed by toner thieves just in time.
Canadian businessman Bryan Hnatiw, who runs Ecol Laser Services in Saskatoon, described how he stopped a toner order worth CAN$20,000 (US$19,133/€13,909) from being sent to scam artists who were trying to steal toner by masquerading as buyers, but whose intentions were to order toner and sell it on the black market without paying for the product, reported CBC News.
According to Hnatiw, the scammers corresponded with him by email using a letterhead stolen from the University of Saskatchewan’s website in order to appear authentic. However, after the scammers tried to order a “large shipment of CAN$350 (US$335/€243) colour toner cartridges” to be sent to a Toronto address and providing contact details that did not match with other University of Saskatchewan phone numbers or email domains, Hnatiw “became suspicious, double checked it and discovered it was fake”, despite the order passing through two level of staff.
Had the order gone ahead, Hnatiw said that he wouldn’t have been able to make next month’s payroll, commenting: “The people that are doing this type of fraud should be convicted. And we should pursue them very seriously.
“We have a responsibility to do an awareness campaign, so business owners and staff of small business owners are aware of this type of activity that’s going on.”
Both Hnatiw and officials at the University of Saskatchewan have reported the attempted fraud to the police.