A local business is out about $3,000 after being one of two Ransomware victims in the city.

This is the first time Whitehorse RCMP have learned of the scam happening to local businesses, though similar scams have been reported across the country for some time.

“In both cases, the businesses attempted to gain access to their computer files store ‘on the cloud’ but discovered that they could not access them because they had been encrypted,” police said in a statement late last week.

“They then received notification that their files had been encrypted and were told they had to pay money through Bitcoin, an online digital payment system, in order to get their files released.”

One company, whose identity isn’t being made public, made the payment and had its files restored.

The RCMP, however, noted victims don’t always get their files back after making the payment.

There’s next to no way to get that money returned.

“It would be pretty difficult,” Const. Julia Fox said this morning of recovering any money paid out.

The other business in the city affected by the same scam didn’t pay the ransom.

However, it has taken its computer to a local computer firm to try to get the files back.

“The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre describes Ransomware as a form of malware that looks and denies access to victim computers, digital files and systems once encrypted,” the RCMP noted.

“It’s often spread through email attachments and botnets, sometimes through what appears to be legitimate emails.

“Once opened, the Ransomware installs itself to the computer and uses a public key to encrypt a variety of file types such as images, documents and spreadsheets.”

Fox noted that Scareware is also becoming a more common type of scam Outside.

There have been no reported victims of that in the Yukon yet.

The scam essentially begins with an email claiming there is illegal material on the computer that will be reported to the police unless a payment is made.

“It has happened across Canada,” Fox noted.

Police highlighted a number of tips to protect against being a victim of such scams.

They include:

• make daily backups of important files on an external hard drive;

• never click on popups that claim your computer has a virus;

• update your anti-virus software often;

• scan your computer for viruses regularly;

• don’t click on links or attachments in emails from anyone unknown, especially for .zip files;

• be cautious, even with emails from organizations or companies that appear to be legitimate;

• turn on pop-up blocking features in your browser; and

• never download anti-virus software from a pop-up or link sent to you in an email.

RCMP ask that anyone who’s received a message that may be such a scam report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

Anyone that’s been a victim of a scam or fraud are also asked to contact their local RCMP detachment.