CTA shares tips on preventing fraud in Canada

March is Fraud Prevention Month, and to help Canada stay safe in the age of internet scams, the Canadian Telecommunications Association (CTA) is sharing a website full of resources.

It’s easy to shrug this off as something that won’t happen to you, but it’s worth checking out these tips and sharing them with people you worry may be vulnerable. Even people like me who write about this stuff for a living can still be scammed like I was last year.

You might see an increase in digital ads promoting anti-fraud behaviours this month, but you can also head over to the association’s website to read a guide full of tips and best practices for being online. Beyond, there is also a growing list of tips for dealing with spam calls, which have also been a big problem in Canada over the past few years. A recent study found that fake Amazon calls were one of the top phone fraud scams in Canada and that Canadians lost nearly $1,500 on average to phone scams.

“Fraud is a global issue that affects many industries, and telecom providers are committed to helping protect Canadians…” said Robert Ghiz, President and CEO of the Canadian Telecommunications Association. “However, the changing nature of scams also requires consumers to remain vigilant. This campaign is designed to empower Canadians with knowledge they need to stay safe from fraud.”

The report says that the key best practices to help reduce your risk of spam are:

• • Be cautious of unsolicited messages and calls
  • Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA)
  • Verify websites and links before clicking
  • Be aware of activity on your accounts
  • Report suspicious activity

There’s a complete list of anti-fraud tips that goes into greater detail on the association’s website.

Source: Canadian Telecommunications Association