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Financial Literacy Month: Recognize, Reject and Report Fraud

During Financial Literacy Month, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) wants to remind Canadians to Recognize, Reject and Report Fraud.

Recognize
  • Phone numbers on your call display can be spoofed
    • Do not trust that this information confirms the identity of the caller
  • Suspicious activity on your bank or credit card statements
  • Letters about approved or declined credit that you did not apply for
  • Unauthorized applications or accounts on your credit report
  • What information has been compromised when you are notified of a database breach
  • Uninstalled software updates and keep your operating system up to date
Reject
  • Unsolicited emails, phone calls or mail asking for personal or financial information
  • Links in any email or text message that looks suspicious
    • Never open an attachment from spam or an unknown sender
  • Urgent requests that play on your emotions
  • High-pressure sales tactics by ending the conversation
  • Illegitimate or copycat organizations by doing your research before you take action
  • Automatic login features that save your username and password
    • Take the time to re-enter your password each time
  • Oversharing through email and social networking sites
  • Weak passwords or the same password for multiple accounts
  • Not checking your credit report at least once a year
    • To get a free copy of your report, contact: Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada
Report
  • Fraud incidents to your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
  • Compromised government identification to the affected government agency
  • Suspicious bank account activity to your financial institution
  • Re-route mail requests to Canada Post
  • Loss of account access to the appropriate company
  • Unauthorized activity on your credit report to the credit bureaus: Equifax and TransUnion
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