March is fraud prevention monthCongratulations! An email says you’ve inherited money from a long lost relative. A letter informs you that a fantastic prize is ready to be shipped to your door if you act now. A caller excitedly tells you that you’ve won the lottery. All you have to do to collect your money or prize is provide personal or financial information, or pay a prize fee or tax. STOP! It may be fraud. An increasing number of Canadians report that either they or a family member have been the target or a victim of mass marketing fraud (35%) or identity theft (20%), and indicate that they are very concerned about email or telephone scams (60%)*. March is fraud prevention month, and everyone can benefit from finding out what they can do to recognize, report, and stop fraud. Here are just a few quick tips: • Pick passwords that are hard to guess by combining numbers, symbols, upper & lowercase letters;
• If it is a legitimate contest you will not have to pay a fee or taxes in order to collect your prize;
• Don’t give out your credit card number over the telephone unless you made the call;
• Don’t reply to spam – just delete it;
• Shred unwanted documents that contain personal or financial information. For further information contact Phonebusters, Canada’s Competition Bureau , the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Hoaxslayer.com, and click here to read LISNS’ publications on preventing telephone or internet fraud. *Sources: Fraud prevention study sponsored by Industry Canada, Competition Bureau - and EKOS, Perceptions of crime in Canada study, sponsored by Public Safety Canada
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