Internet Scam Alert: CRS (Central Registration Service)
The Saanich Police Financial Crimes Section has received a couple of complaints from small local businesses. The concern is that the companies are receiving official billing information on authentic looking paper with authentic looking letter head. The billing company doing business as CRS is asking for $966.00 US from businesses who have Web sites. The bill is supposed to be for standard registration via hosting service.
Our investigators have looked into the company using Google and other means. If you Google the company name you will find many warnings and Blogs about the company. The company provides a USA mailing address and a bank name. Our investigators have determined the listed Loyal Bank to be located in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The bank was incorporated in 1997 and can be accessed by telephone or by the internet.
The Saanich Police are cautioning small businesses to double check any billing or to have their book keepers check their bills payable to make sure they are not inadvertently paying this bill.
One can only imagine how much one could make with this scam if you bulkmailed hundreds of thousands of these bills. If you only got one person paying for every thousand you mailed out you would stand to make a substantial amount of money.
Internet Scams and Frauds cost consumers a great deal of money every year. They are difficult to investigate. The Saanich Police are encouraging consumers to start using the internet against these scammers. Like in this case if you Goggle the company name you learn a great deal about the scam. If in doubt do the research before you pay the bill. Contact the Better Business Bureau Of Vancouver Island and do your home work.