SCAMMERS have struck at least three prominent Warrnambool organisations this year, defrauding them of almost $1 million, police say.
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The Standard can exclusively reveal that Warrnambool police detectives are investigating a string of email scams employing similar tactics, the latest of which a $480,000 fraud case involving Catholic private school Emmanuel College.
The other two scams involve one large employer being defrauded of a similar amount as Emmanuel, and another prominent organisation losing $120,000. It is understood that money ended up overseas and has not been recovered.
Warrnambool firm Harrington Design and Construction has been working on the new Emmanuel College performing arts centre.
The college recently received an email purporting to be from the firm, notifying them of a change of bank account details.
On Friday, May 11, Emmanuel College made a payment of $480,000 into the recently changed bank account.
On Friday, May 18, the college reported to Warrnambool police a fraud involving the almost half-million-dollar payment.
Detective Senior Constable Craig Wastell, of the Warrnambool police crime investigation unit, confirmed to The Standard on Wednesday that he was investigating the case.
Detective Senior Constable Wastell was also applying on Wednesday for a warrant in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court for a bank to release details of where the money went.
Those details are expected to be a major step in the investigation.
Harrington Design and Construction owner Clayton Harrington said he was a completely innocent party.
Closer examination of the email received by the school notifying the change of bank account details revealed that many of those details were incorrect, including the address of the Harrington Design and Construction.
Emmanuel College principal Peter Morgan confirmed the school had been the victim of a theft.
"An incident occurred which involved a theft due to a breach by an external entity," he said.
"All appropriate agencies have been advised and the incident has been reported to the Victoria Police.
"An independent investigation will be deployed to review the college’s processes.
"The priority for the college continues to be student learning, and we reassure our community the theft will have no impact on day-to-day operations, on current projects or on our families," he said.
Detective Senior Constable Wastell requested that anyone with information about the case to contact the Warrnambool CIU or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
