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 a contractor fraud complaint that has left one local resident reeling.
The victim hired Scriver in May 2025 through what seemed to be a legitimate business. Payments totaling $16,000 were made for work that was never completed, leading to significant financial loss.
Insp. McFarlane emphasized the emotional toll such scams can take, stating, “Fraud can result in significant financial loss and cause serious emotional harm.” The Kelowna RCMP has reported an increase in fraud reports lately, particularly involving impersonation-based scams.
Scammers often pose as public officials or trusted institutions to pressure victims into transferring money. With impersonation scams on the rise, it’s critical for individuals to remain vigilant. They should never hand over cash in person or transfer money to someone they do not personally know.
As digital banking becomes more prevalent, financial institutions are stepping up their efforts to combat these types of fraud. Q2 Holdings recently reported a 14.1% year-on-year revenue growth attributed to the demand for fraud prevention solutions.
The company’s annual recurring revenue reached $945 million, reflecting an 11.6% year-on-year growth. Their operating margin increased significantly to 12.8%, up from just 1.2% during the same quarter last year.
Management at Q2 Holdings noted that this performance is due to robust customer demand across both new and existing clients.
The community is left wondering how many others might fall victim to similar scams in the future as awareness grows about contractor fraud and impersonation schemes. The Kelowna RCMP continues to investigate and urges residents to report any suspicious activity immediately.
