Phishing Fraud
What is phishing?
Phishing is one of the more common cybercrimes. It’s when fraudsters send emails, texts or other kinds of messages that coerce you to click on a link.
They’re “phishing” for information – get it? If you click on the link, it’ll either install malware onto your computer or link you to what looks like a legitimate trusted website. Both are an effort to obtain your username, passwords, banking and account information and/or other personal information like your Social Insurance Number/Social Security Number, date of birth and an email address.
Knowledge is the best first-line of defence
For more resources, articles and tips about fraud protection, visit our Help Hub.
Phishing features to watch out for
If you don’t recognize the person who sent it, then don’t open any links they direct you to. Scan the CC section to see if you recognize anyone else. It’s also a good idea to check if it’s been sent to “undisclosed recipients”.
If spelling and grammar are poor then chances are the message wasn’t sent from a reputable source or company.
If it says “urgent action needed”, “your account has been compromised” or prompts you to act fast by threatening to close an account you can safely assume it’s phishing—they’re just trying to force you to click out of panic.
If you’re shopping online or just surfing the net and you happen to click on a website you’re unsure of, check the URL for misspelled words or missing periods in the name. These could be indicators of a fraudulent website.
Channels used for phishing
Protect your computer with updates
Ensure your operating system, web browser, and applications have the most current updates. See the videos on our Online Banking Security page to learn more.
Make sure you have a current version of your Internet browser installed. We only support an Internet browser that supports 128-bit encryption.
Secure or erase files stored on your PC by your Internet browser so others cannot read them. Most Internet browsers store information in non-protected (unencrypted) files in the browser's cache to improve performance.
Install and use a quality anti-virus program and ensure it is updated regularly. See the videos on our Online Banking Security page to learn more.