During the pandemic, online scams have skyrocketed. And the trend continues. Review to recognize some of the traps set for you by scammers.
The crooks are fast on skates. During the last election campaign, the provincial parties promised to pay a check to offset inflation. However, a few weeks later, consumers were already receiving a (fraudulent) invitation: a link to click to cash the check promised by the government with a single click. First of all, don’t do it!
By the end of September, the Canadian Fraud Center had identified 68,259 reports for the current year. The financial losses associated with these scams exceed $360 million. Now is not the time to let your guard down. To increase your vigilance, here is an example of some of the traps scammers are currently using to lure you in.
Phishing is still in vogue
Phishing is a classic online scam. To mislead you, hackers copy the visual and graphic identity of an organization that is publicly known or that you know personally (logo, writing style, etc.). Cyber scammers want personal information such as your identity, bank details or passwords.
Another platform, scam site-alert.ca, is currently receiving many complaints about false accusations allegedly sent by the RCMP. “People are being threatened with prosecution for Internet child pornography crimes,” says Akim Laniel-Lanani, director of operations for the Cybercriminology Clinic, which runs the site, an initiative linked to the University of Montreal’s School of Criminology.
A more traditional phishing attempt under the guise of a package delivery: you receive an email or SMS about a pending order or a missed delivery. The message sometimes suggests paying a small amount to receive the package. A good way to get your personal and possibly banking information… for a package that doesn’t exist!
fake online sales
“We are also starting to see a lot of ads on social media about warehouse sales of so-called unclaimed Amazon products,” says Akim Laniel-Lanani. This ad promotes game consoles, drones or iPhones at low prices. The principle is this: you order a batch, choosing the size of the box, pay and get a surprise package. In the best case, the victim will receive a package with counterfeit goods. Most of the time she won’t get anything at all…
To reassure their potential victims, scammers go as far as posting comments from pseudo-customers who have appreciated the service: “This way of doing business gives a false sense of security,” says Akim Laniel-Lanani. Social media algorithms ensure that once a person clicks on such an advertisement, they will increasingly see it again and again on their screen; she gets used to this message and eventually loses her guard.
fake personal loan
Who doesn’t need money? The offer of quick and easy money is a scam as old as the world. Fraudulent websites offer consumer loans without credit checks. “We get a lot of reports in this direction for sites that have been running for two or three years,” says Akim Laniel-Lanani. Everyone (or almost) will definitely qualify for a loan. Fraud occurs later, by adding procedural costs or compulsory insurance subscription (which is illegal).
>> Read also: Quick loans, hellish spiral
How to avoid fraud?
“If this sounds too good to be true… it probably is!” Be careful,” concludes Akim Laniel-Lanani. Before you go any further, find out who contacted you. His name may be familiar to you, but his account may have been hacked. Check the email address (one letter in the name is enough), look at the photos and text used in the message, in short, look for any unusual clues.
To help internet users, the Cybercriminal Clinic has created scam-alert.ca, a 100% free public platform that allows you to refer to cases of scams online. The clinic also provides easy access to the Scam.doc tool, which allows you to rate the reliability of the suspicious content you receive.
>> Read also: Practical guide Privacy and digital life and Internet scams, don’t be fooled