A security breach at Salt Spring’s largest community arts venue sent some email and e-transfer payments elsewhere, according to staff, as police urge the public to keep a careful eye out for suspicious messages.
In a notice sent Tuesday evening, Sept. 2, ArtSpring executive and artistic director Howard Jang said the email address used for e-transfer payments “ead@artspring.ca” had been “targeted and compromised” in August, which resulted in communications — and some e-transfers — being fraudulently redirected.
“We became aware of this over the long weekend,” wrote Jang, “and are currently working with authorities to secure our system.”
Salt Spring RCMP Sgt. Clive Seabrook confirmed with the Driftwood that there was an active file received from ArtSpring, and from what was known so far it seemed staff had taken all the correct steps, such as monitoring emails and bank accounts for suspicious activity.
“When something doesn’t look right, [people and organizations] need to report these incidents to their financial institutions and the police as soon as possible,” said Seabrook. “It is this type of due diligence that stops these types of things from happening and/or minimizes losses when they do occur.”
The email in question has since been locked, according to Jang, who said anyone who sent an e-transfer during August — or who had received any suspicious email seemingly from ArtSpring asking to verify accounts or confirm information — should report it to ArtSpring administration by calling 250-537-2125.
The breach does not affect the purchase process for tickets, memberships or donations facilitated through the organization’s website or at the centre’s box office, according to ArtSpring.