We\u2019re doing more things digitally, from banking to shopping to accessing government services. All of that brings convenience into our lives \u2014 but also the need to protect our data to\u00a0avoid digital fraud.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hackers and scammers are constantly coming up with sophisticated new schemes<\/a>, making it harder to tell what\u2019s real or fake, or which messages are genuine and which are part of phishing scams<\/a>. (According to an Interac study, 96 per cent of Canadians failed to identify the safest way forward<\/a> when presented with a phishing scam.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n No wonder people are feeling worn down by repeated fraud and scam attempts.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aim to create ugly passwords.<\/a> What does that mean? When you ensure your password follows best practices \u2014 so it\u2019s a minimum length of eight characters, with a combination of upper- and lower-case letters and at least one number and one special character \u2014 the result is a password that doesn\u2019t look so easy on the eyes. (For example, rather than simply \u201cjaysfan,\u201d come up with something more like J@yzFan*92.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you receive an email or text message you weren\u2019t expecting and it\u2019s prompting you to log in to your online banking or accept funds through an online money transfer, don\u2019t click on the link. It could be a phishing scam. Contact the sender through another channel to find out if the notification is legitimate. If you think the notification is a scam masquerading as an Interac\u202fe-Transfer transaction, forward the email to phishing@interac.ca so our fraud team can investigate it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The more hackers know about you,<\/a> the easier it can be for them to scam you. So avoid sharing personal identifiable information online<\/a>. You can learn more here<\/a> about how hackers use the web and social media to piece together information about you \u2014 everything from your car\u2019s make and model to your pets\u2019 names (the article can help you tidy up any breadcrumbs you\u2019ve left for potential hackers). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also beware online trivia games that ask you to share your birthday, your mother\u2019s maiden name, or similar identification questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Multi-factor authentication is a method for proving you are who you say you are using at least two verification factors. For example, you may set up an account so it requires you to enter a password to log in, as well as a single-use code that arrives via text message (if you have the code, it proves you are in possession of the phone number associated with the account.) If your email provider doesn\u2019t have a two-factor authentication process, consider switching to an email provider that does. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t want to be in a situation where a hacker gets access to all <\/em>of your accounts just by obtaining one password. It\u2019s important to not only use different passwords for each site or service, but also to change those passwords regularly. How to keep them all straight? Try using a password manager \u2014 that\u2019s an app that lets you securely keep track of your passwords. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Software updates, including updates on the operating software of your phone can include new security measures. Also, don\u2019t forget to check your device for malware if you notice suspicious activity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you receive a deposit or online money request notification by text or email that you weren\u2019t expecting, don\u2019t open it. Contact the (supposed) sender through another channel and ask them whether the transaction is legitimate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Part of keeping your money secure is making sure it ends up going to the right place. When you\u2019re sending money with Interac e-Transfer, double-check you\u2019ve got the right information for the recipient before you confirm it. If there\u2019s a mistake, the funds could end up in the wrong hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online money transfers are used to transact with people, businesses and other parties you know and trust. When you receive a request for money, beware. Once again, messages that arrive unexpectedly are a big red flag, especially when they\u2019re asking for money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your email has been hacked, scammers can intercept any message you receive, including money transfers. That means, if you don\u2019t have Interac e-Transfer Autodeposit set up, you need to make sure your security question is strong (That means no more \u201cWhat colour is the sky?\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n A good security question is one where the answer cannot be easily guessed \u2014 for example, \u201cWhat is your mom\u2019s middle name?\u201d or, \u201cWhat is the secret password I gave you?\u201d It\u2019s a good idea to agree on a shared secret security question before sending the\u202fInterac\u202fe-Transfer transaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To be safe, communicate security-related information through a different channel (like a voice phone call). <\/p>\n\n\n\n When inputting the information to send money using Interac e-Transfer, it\u2019s important not to use the memo field to share the answers to security questions. This would enable an email hacker to answer the question. It would be like locking up your goods in a box and then leaving the key on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, keep in mind that hackers can try searching online for the answers to your security questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why \u201cWhat\u2019s my pet\u2019s name?\u201d isn\u2019t a very secure question: If you\u2019ve posted about your pet somewhere (and who hasn\u2019t?), then hackers would be able to answer the question. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Set up Interac e-Transfer Autodeposit for an extra layer of digital security<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Interac e-Transfer Autodeposit is a feature that enables you to receive money without having to set up a security question and answer \u2014 the funds automatically and directly go to your bank account following a routine fraud check by your financial institution. With Autodeposit set up, you can avoid the risk of having your funds intercepted by fraudsters<\/a> who may have access to your email account, because the funds are directly deposited into your bank account with no additional steps needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Practise the \u2018Three Ss\u2019 \u2014 Stop, Scrutinize, Speak up <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whenever you think you may be a target for a scam, Interac advises taking a \u201cThree S approach<\/a>,\u201d meaning you Stop before acting on an unusual message or request; Scrutinize the situation carefully; and Speak up if you have been targeted by\u202freporting it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Canadians are a first line of defence in preventing online fraud and have an important role to play when it comes to protecting themselves and their identity online<\/a>. Armed with confidence, awareness, and the right information, you can do your part to protect your data from digital fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Protect yourself against digital fraud by performing a digital security self-check.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are 11 data security tips to help you avoid falling prey to online scams: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Never share your email account password <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Don\u2019t click on phishing links that lead you to sign in to your email or your online banking <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Avoid sharing personal identifiable information online <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Set up two- (or multi-) factor authentication on email accounts <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Don\u2019t use the same passwords for online banking or email accounts that you use to access your social media sites <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Regularly update your devices to make sure you\u2019ve got all the latest data security enhancements <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Never click on any links you weren\u2019t expecting <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Make sure you enter the email address or SMS (phone) number correctly when sending an online money transfer <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Be sure you know who you are sending the online money transfer to, and that they are a trusted person or vendor <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. Choose a strong security question <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
11. If you\u2019re using security questions to send an online money transfer, make sure you\u2019re not sending the password answers through your email <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
More fraud prevention and cyber security tips <\/h2>\n\n\n\n