March is Fraud Prevention Month, which aims to educate people on online fraud. Protect yourself online and don’t fall for some of the most common scams.
The 2021 campaign, from the Competition Bureau, focusses on online shopping. In the past year many of us have been online shopping more than ever. This makes fraud prevention more important than ever.
Fraud Prevention Tips
If any online company is offering a deal that is too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t sign up for a subscription service without researching it first. Make sure it’s a real, reputable company before handing over your credit card or banking information.
Subscription services often offer a free trial, so be sure to read the fine print first, as many will begin to charge you once your trial period ends.
Another common category is health and wellness scams. People who are suffering or feeling insecure about themselves can be vulnerable to health and weight loss scams. Again, if something seems like a miracle cure, it’s likely not real or doesn’t deliver on it’s promises. Always do thorough research when it comes to health related products. Talk to your doctor about options, rather than buying random things from the internet.
Online dating
Romance scams are common on popular online dating sites and apps. A common scam is someone will appear to be very attractive and charming, getting you to become invested in the potential relationship. Then the sob stories will begin. The person may claim to have a sick relative or some other hardship and start asking you for money. Report these and cut off contact. Do not send money to anyone you meet through a dating app.
Phishing scams
Phishing scams often come in the form of an email. The email will be designed to look legitimate – mimicking the look of a real company. The email will often have a link asking you to type in your password or put in banking information.
Read our blog on Phishing Scams to learn more!
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