A Parksville-area industrial business is out around $400,000 after complying with a request from one of their suppliers to update payment information. The new account details were for scammers, instead of the intended business. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

major loss

Parksville industrial business loses $400,000 in account switch scam

Mar 31, 2026 | 11:00 AM

PARKSVILLE — For the third time in just over three months, Oceanside RCMP are investigating a major loss from a local business connected to an ongoing scam.

An industrial business in Parksville reported losing around $400,000 after receiving an email on Feb. 24 allegedly from one of their vendors asking the business to update payment information for invoices.

Sgt. Shane Worth told NanaimoNewsNOW the victim’s business complied with the request, as it came from the correct email and contact.

“It seems that an email was compromised, and payment information and details that were used to make the payment were changed. The payment did not make it to the intended recipient, and the business is out their money right now.”

This case followed two others in December 2025 and earlier in February 2026, which followed a similar pattern.

sex offender

Former Nanaimo teacher jailed for possession of child exploitation material

45m ago

major loss

Parksville industrial business loses $400,000 in account switch scam

3h ago

countdown is on

Astronaut says Canadians can be proud of NASA's Artemis II moon mission

5h ago

Worth said it resulted in tens of thousands of dollars being taken from area businesses as they attempted to pay their invoices.

“The businesses had received emails to update their bank account information, and they did that, thinking they were speaking to their proper suppliers. In those cases, it’s believed those supplier emails were compromised by suspects, and they updated the banking transfer information.”

Investigators continue to work on each case and are unsure whether the three are connected.

In at least one instance, the bank account where the funds ended up was set up using fraudulent identification at a bank in the Lower Mainland.

Money directed into the accounts was quickly withdrawn from ATMs.

Worth said any email requesting an update to payment information should be treated with extreme skepticism.

“If you ever receive an email asking you to update any electronic payment information, confirm the accuracy of the email preferably by telephone with the sender of the email and speaking to them directly to make sure that their request is legitimate.”

This type of scam is being run in addition to a constant barrage of other frauds targeting Oceanside residents, including romance scams, gift card scams and calls purportedly from the Canada Revenue Agency.

Oceanside RCMP conduct regular talks in the community with different groups, primarily seniors, advising of new techniques used by scammers in a bid to educate potential victims before money is lost.

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook