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Protect Yourself From Internet and Email Fraud

As a reminder that March is Fraud Prevention Month, here is another post that is full of tips and links for you to share, because knowledge will keep you from becoming a victim, and you can never know too much when it comes to fraud prevention.

Government of Canada [1]Canadians should remember that they are not alone when they surf the Web, and that others may be using the Internet for malicious purposes. As part of Fraud Prevention Month [2], the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada [3] (FCAC) reminds Canadians of the importance of protecting themselves from Internet and email fraud.

“Fraud can take many forms. Nobody is safe from it, not even the most knowledgeable consumer,” says FCAC Commissioner Ursula Menke [4]. One common form of fraud is called “phishing”, where a victim receives a fraudulent email that appears to come from a legitimate organization, such as a Government of Canada department or the victim’s own financial institution. The email instructs the consumer to visit a false website, download fraudulent content or provide confidential personal information.

FCAC also publishes tip sheets [5] to help Canadian consumers protect themselves against and prevent identity theft, credit card fraud, and fraudulent e-mails and telephone calls. In a video success story, Ken MacDonald, Crime Prevention Coordinator with the New Glasgow Police Service in Nova Scotia, offers some advice about preventing telephone fraud and identity theft. FCAC’s publications and tip sheets are available on the Agency’s website at moneytools.ca [6].

March is #Fraud Prevention Month: Beware of phishing scams [7]

With your personal information, such as your date of birth, passwords, Social Insurance Number, credit card or bank account information, fraudsters can use your credit card accounts or get new credit cards, and make purchases that you might be held responsible for. If your personal information falls into the wrong hands, you could even become a victim of identity theft [8].

How can you avoid falling victim to Internet or email fraud?