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Stranger pays $700 bill for Oliver, B.C. woman targeted by work email scam

Oliver resident, Tracey Brown, received an email from someone posing as her new boss. The email asked for hundreds of dollars’ worth of gift cards. Taya Fast / Global News

An Oliver, B.C. woman who fell victim to an online scam last month is now thanking the kindness of strangers.

Tracey Brown received an email from someone she thought was her boss while at work. In the email, the person asked Brown to pick up $700 worth of Amazon gift cards “to reward some hard-working employees.”

She purchased the gift cards and then was asked to scratch off the back and send pictures of the numbers. Following the incident, Brown contacted her visa company, Amazon and the RCMP but she was still out the $700.

Click to play video: 'Oliver, B.C. woman targeted by work email scam now warning the public'
Oliver, B.C. woman targeted by work email scam now warning the public

She says Okanagan resident, Kirk Chamberlain and his wife Katie, reached out after seeing her story and offered to pay the bill.

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“What happened to Tracy wasn’t right. My wife and I were just fortunate to be in a position to help,” said Chamberlain.

Brown said the offer brought her to tears.

“It truly restores your faith in humanity … This man and his family have taken a huge weight off my shoulders,” said Brown.

“I never would have thought this would have happened. The kindness of others is out there.”

Chamberlain said he hopes his generosity will inspire others to pay it forward as well.

Click to play video: 'Woman scammed out of $5,000, warning others'
Woman scammed out of $5,000, warning others

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