25 March 2022
Fraudsters use a variety of schemes to achieve their goals: phishing, romance scams, phone scams, money scams. While these approaches differ, they often use manipulative techniques to throw caution to the wind. Here are some clues to watch for that will help you recognize them.
Did you win a contest you never entered? You receive a notice or text for a package you didn’t order? You get a call that there’s a problem with your computer and it needs to be fixed? Ask yourself, “Am I the source of this request?
The Caisse du Réseau de la santé sends emails
We use email to communicate with you, but only to provide you with factual information.
Whether it’s a matter of accepting an offer quickly, sending a payment or providing information, the time frame requested is very short and can hold out the promise of immediate consequences if no action is taken. This pressure is designed to cause panic and quick action, without giving you the time to question, research and recognize the deception.
Fear-mongering with insults or threats (e.g., a very large transaction that could fail, professional dismissal, reporting to the police, etc.) seeks to evoke strong emotions and confuse the mind. Conversely, some approaches (e.g., romance scams) use courteous and affectionate language to exploit emotional vulnerability.
If you are asked to provide personal or confidential information (e.g., password, personal identification number [PIN], social insurance number, etc.), ask yourself if this is appropriate for the person you are calling. Never disclose your information if you did not make the call.
It is also not normal to be asked to hand over your credit and debit card to someone or to drop it in your mailbox (as is the case with the fake advisor and mailman scam).
What to do when in doubt?
In the event of a telephone conversation that seems suspicious, make a note of the name of the person you are speaking to and end the conversation. Do not rely on the call display or the number you were given. Contact the company or government body yourself using the contact information found on official websites or from a reliable external source (e.g. Canada 411, Autorité des marchés financiers, Enterprise register , professional order, etc.). If the communication proves fraudulent, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Is the message full of mistakes or typos? Is the email address from a free email service or does it look like the company name with extra characters? These signs suggest that the message is a phishing attempt.
Whether by email, social media, text or phone, pause and question yourself before clicking on a link, opening an attachment or following up on messages from people or companies you don’t know or that show other signs of a potential scam.
Unless it’s an auction, ask yourself if it’s normal to be offered much more than the asking price for an item you’re selling online. Offering highly sought after new or nearly new equipment (e.g. video game console, performance bike, smart phone, etc.) at a ridiculous price is also ridiculous. Making “easy money.” only comes at the expense of a victim. When an offer seems too good to be true, trust your instincts.
An executive in your company tells you about a major transaction that no one should know about? Someone in trouble asks you for money and insists that you not notify the authorities? These guidelines are designed to prevent you from talking to anyone around you who might recognize the scheme and warn you.
Some victims may feel embarrassed or even ashamed after being tricked and are afraid to talk about it. This should not be the case. It is important to tell people around you and to notify the authorities. Fraudsters are constantly perfecting their techniques to manipulate their targets in order to ensnare them.
You can also contact your advisor if you would like to receive coaching or prefer to talk about it in confidence by calling 1-800-CAISSES (1-800-224-7737).
Source: Desjardins Blog
