Beware of Phishing!

Phishing is a ploy used by fraudsters to obtain a consumer’s personal information by pretending to be someone you can trust.

Tips

■ Remain skeptical about emails asking you for information or inviting you to click on a link. Phishing emails may give the impression that they are coming from a company or from the government. They often appeal to a sense of urgency or threat. Do not click on a link in such an email and do not download any attachment. If in doubt, communicate directly with the organization using a trusted telephone (not the one found in the mail).

■ Beware of competitions and quizzes on social media. These questionnaires, which ask you for a lot of personal information, can be used by fraudsters to obtain valuable information about you.

Protecting access to your devices and accounts

A malicious person could obtain access to your account if they guess your password or if they manage to get their hands on your unsecured devices.

Tips

■ Choose strong, easy-to-remember passwords. A practical solution is to use “passphrases” consisting of a random series of words.

■ Don’t use the same password for all your accounts. If the username of one of your accounts is compromised, you cannot use it to access your other accounts.

■ Don’t share your password. Your password should remain strictly confidential. If you write it down, make sure it is in a safe place.

■ Protect your mobile device and keep an eye on it. If your mobile phone is not protected by a code or a password, someone could take it over without your knowledge and install malware.

Beware of public networks and connected devices

Your connected devices, such as your computer, smartphone, router or voice assistant, can be used as a gateway for hackers. Although you cannot control the security measures used by the manufacturers of these devices, you can still take certain precautions.

Tips

■ Beware of public Wi-Fi networks. These networks can be poorly secured and allow a malicious person to intercept your communications and observe your online activities. When in doubt, do not connect to these networks or carry out sensitive activities (such as banking transactions).

■ Update your software. Several common hacker attacks exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software.

■ Unplug smart devices that are no longer in use. Old connected objects that you no longer use can be used as a gateway for hackers. If you no longer need a connected object, unplug it.

If you find that you are a victim of identity theft, you should:

■ contact the credit bureaus to ask them to correct your file and place a fraud alert on it;

■ contact the companies where the fraudulent accounts have been opened to ask them to cancel them;

■ report the incident to your local police station and request a report;

■ report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

In addition, if you learn that you are a victim of a security breach, you may need to take one or more of the following steps:

■ change passwords for online accounts that may have been compromised;

■ contact your financial institution to get new cards and change your personal identification numbers (PIN);

■ contact the issuers of your identity cards and inform them of the situation.