Being on the lookout for email scams is crucial to protecting your personal information and money from sneaky cybercriminals. Taking a moment to double-check emails and avoiding suspicious links can go a long way in keeping you safe online!
Phishing emails often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an email that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company, even using the company’s logo in the header. The message might:
- Say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts
- Claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information
- Say you need to confirm some personal or financial information
- Include an invoice you don’t recognize
- Want you to click on a link to make a payment
- Say you’re eligible to register for a government refund
- Offer a coupon for free stuff
While real organizations might communicate with you by email, legitimate ones won’t email a link to update your payment or private information.
Other ways to protect yourself from scams include:
- Report suspicious messages to your email provider
- Avoid sharing personal information
- Use strong passwords
- Keep your operating system and browser up to date
- Keep an eye on your financial statements
- Never click on unknown links or attachments
- Be wary of fake unsubscribe messages
- Only respond to known senders
- Use two-factor authentication
- Regularly back up your data
- Block pop-ups
- Use a firewall
- Use antivirus software
If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, you should immediately:
- Contact your financial institutions
- Contact the police
- Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll free at 1-888-495-8501 or through the Fraud Reporting System
SOURCES:
- https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/scams-fraudes/victim-victime-eng.htm
- https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/sartr-avoiding-scams-during-and-after-fires.pdf
- https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams
- https://us.norton.com/blog/how-to/how-to-protect-against-phishing
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