Police sound alarm after several downtown Calgary businesses lose money to scammers

Calgary police are seen in the downtown core. (CPS handout)

Several businesses in downtown Calgary have been successfully targeted by scammers, police say.

According to police, reported losses range “from hundreds to thousands of dollars.”

Police issued an advisory on Friday, saying over the past couple of months, scammers have called up liquor stores, coffee shops and the like, claiming to be regional managers and/or others.

The victim employee is told to deposit company cash into a Bitcoin ATM.

One incident was shared in Friday’s advisory.

Police outlined a scam that started with a call from someone posing as a regional manager about a new point-of-sale system and a problem with a shipment.

A follow-up call was then received from someone posing as a delivery driver.

And finally, a text was received from someone posing as the store’s manager, instructing that cash be moved.

Scam attempts, successful or not, can be reported to police by calling 403-266-1234 or to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477.