June 2026
The police in Dallas, Oregon reported that a property manager was nearly a victim of an online scam. A scammer impersonated one of the property manager's vendors and sent an email with a spoofed address requesting that payment be sent to a new bookkeeper. The property manager sent the check but discovered it was a scam when the actual vendor called directly. A stop payment was placed on the check, and no money was lost.
This is a good reminder to review incoming emails with a critical eye. If an email includes any of these red flags, stop and contact the sender directly using a known phone number before taking any action:
- A change in payment instructions or who to pay
- A sense of urgency pressuring you to act immediately
- A request to purchase gift cards
When reviewing a suspicious email, also keep these habits in mind:
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Check the actual email address, not just the display name. The name shown in your inbox can be made to look legitimate, while the actual address behind it is something entirely different.
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Never use contact information found in a suspicious email. Always look up the sender's phone number or email address from an independent source, such as a previous invoice or the company's official website.