Winnipegger warns others about highly elaborate Manitoba Hydro missed payments scam

A Winnipeg resident is issuing a warning to the public about a sophisticated scam that almost fooled her. Destiny Funk shared her experience of nearly falling victim to individuals posing as Manitoba Hydro employees who tried to convince her to make a deposit on a bitcoin machine using personal information and convincing tactics.

The 26-year-old received a call on Monday from someone claiming to be a Hydro technician, informing her that her power would be cut off within the hour due to unpaid bills. The caller had detailed information about Funk, including her name and address, which made the situation seem legitimate. Despite the caller’s convincing demeanor, Funk grew suspicious when he directed her to contact Hydro directly for further assistance.

After being connected to a man named John who claimed to be a Hydro agent, Funk was told that she was behind on payments and needed to settle the balance immediately. Instead of requesting payment over the phone, John advised Funk to visit a nearby convenience store with a bitcoin kiosk to make the payment in cash. This raised red flags for Funk, prompting her to visit Hydro headquarters in person, where she discovered that the entire situation was a scam.

The scammers had access to Funk’s account number, email address, home address, and phone number, as well as accurate details about her outstanding payments. This elaborate scheme led Funk to believe that she was being directed to the convenience store to make a fraudulent payment. The store, Windsor Park Convenience, later confirmed that they were not involved in the scam and warned customers about the situation on social media.

Manitoba Hydro spokesperson Peter Chura acknowledged the scam and cautioned customers about similar schemes during the Canada Post strike, which may make them more susceptible to fraudulent calls. He emphasized that Hydro does not make last-minute threats to disconnect power or accept payments via credit card, Interac e-transfers, cryptocurrency, or over the phone. Customers were advised to verify payment locations through official channels before making any transactions.

Funk’s experience serves as a reminder to remain vigilant against scams and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities. While she was fortunate not to fall for the scam, she stressed the importance of raising awareness, especially among older individuals who may be more vulnerable to such schemes. Chura advised anyone receiving demands for immediate payment to ignore the messages and contact Hydro directly to verify the authenticity of the request.