Young Canadians Regular Targets Of Phishing Scams

If you are young and Canadian, there is a very good chance someone will try to steal your personal information. According to a survey published by Visa Canada, 92% of men and women age 35 or younger polled stated that they have been the targets of “phishing” scams. These scams attempt to obtain a person’s bank account number, card numbers, passwords and social insurance numbers.

“They’re online, they’re on their (mobile) phones, they’re very well connected for the most part,” Gord Jamieson, head of risk services at Visa Canada, said of that demographic.

Those behind “phishing” scams usually send young Canadians emails or text messages that claim a potential victim’s account will be closed, or some similar problem with their finances, and need their personal information in order to correct it. These messages usually appear to be from banks, credit card companies or other businesses in order to sound legitimate. A representative of Visa Canada says credit card companies and banks do not send out unsolicited emails or texts asking for a customer’s personal information.

The survey also found the province most targeted for “phishing” scams is British Columbia, with 89% of its residents having received fraudulent messages. The fewest “phishing” messages were reported in Quebec, with 77% of residents receiving them. Anyone who receives a “phishing” email should contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

On The Web:

Phishing scam emails, texts on the rise, surveys show
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/phishing-scam-emails-texts-on-the-rise-surveys-show-1.2549011