Fraud Prevention Month

March is Fraud Prevention Month

Every year, thousands of Canadians fall victim to fraud. Most people don’t think it could happen to them, but fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated methods to target people of all ages and from all walks of life. More and more of these schemes are being attributed to organized crime. The impact on individuals, families and businesses is devastating – retirement savings, homes, businesses and in some cases, lives have all been lost.

It’s sometimes hard to keep on top of all the information you need to know to keep your money and your personal information safe. Terms like “identity theft,” “debit card fraud” and “phishing” can sound scary and you may not know where to turn to get clear information about what these terms mean and how you can protect yourself.

The good news is that the majority of frauds can be prevented by identifying the methods used by fraudsters. The more you know about a fraud, the less likely you are to fall for it. Through awareness, you can avoid becoming a victim. 

Complete this years Fraud Month Quiz to see how fraud aware you are. 

You can also try some of our Fraud Month Quizzes from previous years:  2017

Still want to be challenged?  Try the Government of Canada Fight Spam Quiz.

View the latest BC Securities Commission videos for recognizing fraud schemes. 

Reporting Fraud:

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to report fraud

BC Securities Commission to report financial fraud

Reporting Identity Theft:

Equifax Canada
Report fraud - 1-800-465-7166
Credit report - http://www.consumer.equifax.ca/home/en_ca

TransUnion Canada
Report fraud - 1-866-525-0262
Credit report - www.transunion.ca

Resources

Information Security Branch

http://www.gov.bc.ca/informationsecurity

BC Securities Commission - Be Fraud Aware

Video Series
https://www.investright.org/fraud-awareness/fraud-warning-signs/

Competition Bureau - Fraud: Recognize It. Report It. Stop It.

Fraud Newsletter, Little Black Book of Scams, Fraud Awareness for Commercial Targets, Recognize the Scam Quiz
http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/02595.html

RCMP Fraud Campaign

News releases, scams and fraud
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/index-eng.htm

Better Business Bureau's Top 10 Scams

http://www.bbb.org/vancouver-island/news-centre/news-releases/2017/02/top-10-scams-2017/

Consumer Protection BC

Fraud Prevention Month
http://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/blog/itemlist/tag/fraud

SonicWALL Phishing IQ Test

Test your knowledge of Phishing and Scams. 
https://www.sonicwall.com/en-us/phishing-iq-test-landing