Fraud Prevention Tips
by Julie Matthews
Signs of a Scam
- Pretend to be a person or organization you know
- Say there’s a problem with your account or a prize
- Pressure you to act immediately
- Want you to pay in a specific way
Phone Scams
- Don't answer calls from unknown numbers
- Don't share personal information
- Be wary of calls asking for money
- There is no prize
- You won’t be arrested
- You don’t need to decide now
- Call banks and companies directly
Email and Text Scams
- Don’t open or respond to unsolicited emails or texts
- Never click on a link in a text or email until you confirm it’s legitimate
- Be wary of messages that ask you to update or verify your information
- Be wary of messages that convey a sense of urgency or tell you an account has been compromised
- Check the identity of the sender, fraudsters can pretend to be any
Social Media Scams
- Limit the amount of information you share online
- Check your privacy settings
- Limit contacts to people you know, don’t accept requests from strangers
- Fraudsters steal photos and can pretend to be anyone, even celebrities or your family
- Don’t send money for an item unless you have seen it in person
Online Scams
- Only visit and shop on websites you know and trust
- Watch out for “pop up” messages
- Don't click on them or call the phone number
- No legitimate company will call and claim there’s a problem with your computer
- Always keep your security software updated and back up your data
- Use difficult passwords and update regularly
- Never give anyone remote access to your computer
Identity Theft
- Protect your documents
- Be careful what you share
- Use strong passwords
- Protect your devices
- Monitor your accounts and statements
Catfishing and Romance Scams
- Verify their background: Look them up online and cross-check profiles
- Run a reverse image search: Google to see if their pictures are being used elsewhere
- Don't send money, gift cards, or invest in something they recommend
- Beware if they seem too perfect or fall in love quickly
- They are often living or working outside of Canada
- They usually won’t meet in person or video chat
Resources
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre 1-888-495-8501
- Service Alberta 1-877-427-4088
