A North Bay man faces serious charges after allegedly defrauding a victim of $16,000 in a construction scam. William James Scriver was arrested following an investigation into contractor fraud that left the victim without any completed work.
In May 2025, the victim hired Scriver through what seemed to be a legitimate business. Payments totaling $16,000 were made for services that were never rendered—an all-too-common scenario in today’s landscape of impersonation scams.
Kelowna RCMP reported an alarming increase in fraud reports, particularly those involving scammers posing as public officials or trusted institutions. They often pressure victims into transferring money under false pretenses.
Key statistics:
- Scriver has been charged with fraud over $5,000.
- The victim lost a total of $16,000 for uncompleted work.
- Impersonation scams are on the rise, with many using ‘spoofed’ phone numbers to appear legitimate.
Fraud can result in significant financial loss and cause serious emotional harm, noted Insp. McFarlane. This underscores the urgent need for effective fraud prevention measures among financial institutions and consumers alike.
Q2 Holdings recently reported a 14.1% year-on-year revenue growth due to increased demand for their fraud prevention solutions. Their annual recurring revenue reached $945 million, reflecting an operating margin increase to 12.8%.
The company attributes its performance partly to robust customer demand across both new and existing clients. As technology evolves, so does the sophistication of scams—making vigilance crucial for everyone.
