SWFL.io - Local NewsCharlotte County deputies say Kory Kossick, owner of the tech repair company OnTech, used a customer's personal information to wire transfer $1,895 into his own bank account, with the victim's bank alerting them to the suspicious activity.
Christina DePari, risk management officer at Edison National Bank, explained what to watch out for with wire transfers.
"Essentially, once that transfer has gone out of your account and into mine, it's as good as cash. It's gone. That's why fraudsters are very eager to use wire transfers," Depari said.
DePari noted that while wire transfers are common for large purchases like homes or cars, requests for smaller amounts should be considered a red flag.
"If somebody is saying that it's a government, the government will never ask you to pay with wire transfer. Your utilities department will not ask you to pay for using wire transfers," she said. "The computer repair companies will not ask you to do wire transfers. Those are very secure, segregated, important transactions."
This incident is not Kossick's first arrest related to his tech business. Last month, Punta Gorda Police arrested him for using other people's personal identification information.
DePari advised keeping contact information updated with banks to quickly address any unusual activity.
"Keep your contact information updated with your bank, because I think that was the number one thing that his bank was alerted to, the fact that his activity was not normal, and they were able to contact him right away," she said.
The victim's bank was able to stop the transaction.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.