Canadians more susceptible than they think to certain forms of fraud

Canadians are overconfident in their ability to spot fraud, according to a new survey. While seven in 10 Canadians (71 per cent) say they feel confident in their ability to detect a phishing scam, the study found that 96 per cent were unable to identify the safest option forward when put to the test through the Interac #SafeNotSorry Experiment.

Canadians could not identify the level of risk in scenarios involving suspicious requests to accept money transfers (84 per cent), verify personal banking credentials (63 per cent) and click on phishing links (82 per cent).

More than half of Canadians (55 per cent) believe that they are safe from scams if they don’t click on any links – but there are many other ways for fraudsters to obtain your private information.

Gen Z Adults are the least confident in their abilities to spot a phishing scam (65 per cent) despite the fact they are the most likely to spend more than three hours a day online.

More than two-fifths of Millennials (44 per cent) think they are more likely to be stung by a swarm of bees than lose their savings to a financial scam.

Nearly half of Boomers (46 per cent) mistakenly think that the right solution if they’ve spotted a phishing scam is to close the internet browser or delete the text.

In recognition of Fraud Prevention Month, experts are sharing the top three tips to help Canadians when faced with possible instances of fraud:

Trust your intuition: Fraudsters are constantly adapting their tactics so staying alert is your best defence. Whether it’s a money transfer you weren’t expecting, or an email asking for your personal information, if you think there’s something wrong, there probably is.

Be on the link out: Never click on links or open attachments you receive from a sender you don’t recognize: Canadians were particularly susceptible to fraud related to unsecure URLs (82 per cent).

Keep calm but don’t carry on: If you receive a deposit or money request notification you weren’t expecting, don’t proceed in the hopes that it is safe without checking.

[VERONICA REINER / THE OBSERVER] Emergency services responded to a collision between a van and a horse-drawn buggy on March 4 at the intersection of Herrgott and Temperance roads in Wellesley Township. The driver of the van was not injured but the family in the buggy was treated for minor injuries. The horses was uninjured.