{"id":74664,"date":"2022-04-06T03:21:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-06T03:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interac1.wpengine.com\/content\/%content-category%\/email-fraud-how-to-recognize-it-and-how-to-protect-yourself\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T11:48:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T15:48:03","slug":"email-fraud-how-to-recognize-it-and-how-to-protect-yourself","status":"publish","type":"content","link":"https:\/\/www.interac.ca\/en\/content\/life\/email-fraud-how-to-recognize-it-and-how-to-protect-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Email fraud: How to recognize it, and how to protect yourself from phishing scams and identity theft"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Canada has a problem when it comes to combating fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most are fed up with the relentless fraud attempts they face, and many believe the problem has only become worse since the pandemic. That\u2019s according to an Interac survey of 1,700 Canadian adults<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, more than three quarters (78 per cent) of Canadians don\u2019t think they have the tools to protect themselves from identity theft, phishing scams and other forms of fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does this mean? While a large proportion of Canadians  acknowledge the threat of digital fraud, many could also use help recognizing the telltale signs so they can take steps to protect themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Email accounts can be a hotbed for fraud attempts, so securing them is a good place to begin. Here are some tips to help Canadians recognize email fraud and protect their accounts \u2014 and advice on how to deal with possible incidents if they happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Email fraud and phishing scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Phishing is one way fraudsters try to break into your email. Phishing scams involve sending messages that appear to come from a trustworthy person or business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hackers will often impersonate friends, government officials or brands you love to steal money or personal information. They\u2019re trying to trick you into thinking the message is legitimate, so you\u2019ll enter sensitive personal and\/or financial information into their fake portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a few common variations on phishing scams: Fake money transfers can trick unsuspecting Canadians into handing over answers to security questions. Tax scams can bait victims into surrendering their social insurance numbers. Fraudulent emails for streaming and other online subscription services can trick people into clicking on phony links to update payment information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phishing is typically carried out using email or instant message, although text messages have been used as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How gaps in your data privacy can lead to email fraud<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Plenty of sensitive information can pass through your email inbox, and for that reason cybercriminals are keen to gain access to your account to intercept your messages. How do they get in? They often succeed by guessing people\u2019s passwords.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can do this by observing your online activity. Think of how much information you share about yourself online by posting updates, sharing photos, or answering seemingly innocent quizzes online.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our survey revealed the importance of keeping personal details private: 38 per cent of Canadians said they\u2019ve experienced a scam in which the would-be fraudsters already knew their personal details, including full names, addresses \u2014 and even dates of birth in some cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, fraudsters can use these personal details to guess weak passwords or security questions<\/a>, thereby gaining access to your email account and all of the potentially sensitive information that your inbox may contain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognizing email fraud: general tips<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n