TL;DR: Kamloops RCMP reported on September 18, 2026 that several local businesses received fraudulent emails asking for payment tied to an upcoming event. The senders posed as the organizing committee using near-identical email addresses, and some businesses transferred funds. Police began receiving complaints on September 15, 2026.

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What the RCMP reported

In its RCMP Kamloops detachment release, police said multiple businesses received emails purporting to come from the event's organizing committee and asking for payment. Some paid.

The RCMP release does not give the amounts paid or say how many businesses were affected, so the scale of the losses is not yet public.

Cpl. Dana Napier said the addresses were very similar to those the committee uses but, on a closer look, had some differences. The investigation is continuing.

The red flags

How to protect your business

Before paying any event, sponsorship or marketing invoice, confirm it with the organizers using a phone number or address you already trust, not one in the email. Compare the sender address letter by letter. Require a second person to approve new payees.

This is a small-scale cousin of the fraud covered in business email compromise statistics for 2026, where lookalike emails redirect real money.

Where to report

If you paid, contact your bank first to ask about a recall, then report to your local RCMP detachment or police non-emergency line and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Our how to report fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre guide walks through it, and how to reverse a wire transfer scam explains the odds. Wider context is in how Canadian police recovered scam money.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened in Kamloops?

Businesses received fraudulent emails from addresses nearly identical to a real event committee's, asking for payment. Some transferred funds, and police began receiving complaints on September 15, 2026.

How can I spot a lookalike email address?

Compare it character by character against one you already trust. RCMP said the fake addresses were very similar to the real ones but had some differences.

What should I do before paying an event invoice?

Confirm it with the organizers using contact details you already trust, as the RCMP advises.

Where do I report this?

Report it to your local RCMP detachment or police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and contact your bank immediately if you paid.

Sources

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