Have you received a text message purporting to be from the 'Ministry of Transportation of Canada' or from 'The Alert Canada Ticket Department' alerting you to a parking ticket that needs to be paid? Beware—these text messages are scams.
While these scams are not new and have circulated in different provinces over the past several months, it’s important to remember never to click on any links in text messages.
How to spot scammy text messages
According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, phishing is a method criminals use to trick individuals into revealing personal information or clicking on malicious links. Here are critical indicators to help discern phishing texts:
- Spoofed name: Phishing messages often appear to come from recognizable institutions like banks, online services (e.g., Netflix, Amazon), or government agencies. Be wary of messages that request personal information or claim urgent actions, such as updating an account or claiming a tax refund.
- Urgency: Scammers create a sense of urgency to prompt immediate action. Be cautious of texts requiring quick responses or involving a significant time-sensitive matter.
- Minimal text: Many phishing messages contain vague or minimal text encouraging recipients to click on links or download attachments. For instance, a text may claim to be a receipt or a notification about a court appearance.
- QR Codes: Be suspicious of instructions to scan QR codes, as they may lead to malicious sites.
- Current Events Themes: Phishing lures often exploit trending topics, like COVID-19 or popular news events, to persuade victims to share information or click links.
- Government Impersonation: Phishing attempts often impersonate trusted government organizations, such as the Canada Revenue Agency or local law enforcement, to solicit personal details.
If one were to look at the text message allegedly from the Ministry of Transportation of Canada, the text would check several red flags, including creating a sense of urgency, threatening language, and impersonating a government institution.
"ꓔһе ꓟіոіѕtrу оf ꓔrаոѕроrtаtіоո оf ꓚаոаdа ꓮꓲеrt:... ꓲ һоре tһіѕ mеѕѕаցе fіոdѕ уоս ԝеꓲꓲ. ꓪе аrе ԝrіtіոց tо rеmіոd уоս оf аո սոраіd раrkіոց tісkеt іѕѕսеd оո ꓮսցսѕt 4, 2024. ꓓеѕріtе рrіоr ոоtіfісаtіоոѕ, оսr rесоrdѕ іոdісаtе tһаt ոо рауmеոt һаѕ bееո rесеіνеd tо dаtе. ꓑꓲеаѕе bе аdνіѕеd tһаt іmmеdіаtе рауmеոt іѕ rеզսіrеd. ꓔһе tоtаꓲ аmоսոt dսе mսѕt bе раіd іո fսꓲꓲ bу ꓳсtоbеr 7, 2024. ꓝаіꓲսrе tо ѕеttꓲе tһіѕ аmоսոt bу tһе ѕtаtеd dеаdꓲіոе ԝіꓲꓲ rеѕսꓲt іո ѕеνеrе соոѕеզսеոсеѕ, ԝһісһ mау іոсꓲսdе bսt аrе ոоt ꓲіmіtеd tо tһе fоꓲꓲоԝіոց: 1. ꓢսѕреոѕіоո оf уоսr νеһісꓲе rеցіѕtrаtіоո սոtіꓲ tһе оսtѕtаոdіոց аmоսոt іѕ раіd. 2. ꓬоսr drіνеr'ѕ ꓲісеոѕе соսꓲd bе ѕսѕреոdеd սոtіꓲ tһе dеbt іѕ сꓲеаrеd. 3. ꓡаtе fееѕ аոd іոtеrеѕt сһаrցеѕ ԝіꓲꓲ ассrսе, іոсrеаѕіոց tһе аmоսոt уоս оԝе. 4. ꓚоսrt ꓢսmmоոѕ: ꓡеցаꓲ асtіоո mау bе tаkеո, ꓲеаdіոց tо а соսrt ѕսmmоոѕ. ꓲf tһе рауmеոt іѕ ոоt ѕеttꓲеd bу ꓳсtоbеr 7, 2024, ԝе ԝіꓲꓲ һаνе tо рrосееd ԝіtһ tһе ոесеѕѕаrу асtіоոѕ. ꓑауmеոtѕ саո bе соmрꓲеtеd оո оսr ԝеbѕіtе ticket-unresolved-fine.com. ꓔһаոk уоս fоr rеѕоꓲνіոց tһіѕ іѕѕսе іո а tіmеꓲу mаոոеr."
To protect against phishing, the Anti-Fraud Centre advises against clicking links or downloading attachments from unsolicited messages, being vigilant about spelling mistakes, and verifying email addresses to ensure they are legitimate. Messages claiming to offer funds from government entities via email should also be treated with suspicion, as this is not standard practice.
What to do if you fall victim to fraud or scams
If you find yourself a victim of fraud, it’s crucial to take immediate steps to protect yourself and report the incident. First, stay calm and gather all relevant information about the fraud, including documents, receipts, and copies of communications.
Next, contact the financial institution involved in the transaction. If you've experienced identity fraud, flag your accounts, change your passwords, and report the fraud to credit bureaus, specifically Equifax and TransUnion.
You should also notify the police about the incident and obtain a file number for future reference. If you notice any suspicious activity on your credit report, update the police.
Reporting the incident is essential. You can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or their Fraud Reporting System. Depending on the type of fraud, you may also need to report it to other organizations. For example, fraud can be reported directly to the website administrators if it occurs online. If you suspect redirected mail, reach out to Canada Post. It’s also important to notify your service providers of any identity fraud.
If you've lost immigration documents, contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada. If you've lost a passport, report it to Passport Canada or the nearest Canadian government office if you're abroad. If your Social Insurance Number (SIN) has been stolen, follow the appropriate reporting procedures for that as well.
To protect yourself against future fraud, be aware that scammers often target victims multiple times, promising to recover lost money. Avoid sending recovery funds and share updates with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, your financial institutions, and the police. Additionally, inform family, friends, and co-workers about your experience; this may help prevent them from becoming victims.
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