Think Before You Click: A Reminder About Phishing and Email Scams

Posted on 4 hours ago

Recently, some FMC members received fraudulent emails that appeared to come from someone they knew. The individual’s personal email account had been compromised, and the message did not originate from FMC.

It’s a good reminder for all of us: a familiar name in your inbox doesn’t necessarily mean the message is legitimate.

Phishing scams are designed to look convincing. They may appear to come from a colleague, friend, bank, retailer, government agency or other organization you recognize. Some are generic, while others are deliberately personalized using information about you or the person being impersonated. [cyber.gc.ca], [antifraudc…ifraude.ca]

And phishing isn’t limited to email. Similar scams can arrive by text message, phone call or even QR code. Canada’s Cyber Centre warns that scammers can also spoof phone numbers, making a fraudulent text appear to come from a trusted organization. [cyber.gc.ca], [cyber.gc.ca]

Pause if something doesn’t seem quite right

Some common warning signs include:

• An unexpected request. Does the message seem unrelated to how you normally interact with this person?
• Urgency or pressure. Are you being told you need to act immediately?
• Requests for money or sensitive information. Be especially cautious about requests for passwords, banking information or other personal information.
• Unexpected links, attachments or QR codes. Don’t click simply because the message appears to come from someone you know.
• An unusual email address. Look beyond the sender’s displayed name and check the actual email address.
• Spelling, grammar or wording that seems unusual.
• Something that just feels “off.” Maybe the greeting is unusual, the tone doesn’t sound like the person, or the request doesn’t make sense.

These are among the warning signs identified by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. [cyber.gc.ca], [antifraudc…ifraude.ca]

The simplest rule: stop and verify

If you receive an unexpected request from someone you know, don’t reply to the suspicious message to ask if it’s really them.

Instead, contact the person separately using a phone number or email address you already know and trust. For example, if an unusual email appears to come from a colleague, call or text them directly. Canada’s Cyber Centre similarly recommends contacting the apparent sender independently to verify that a suspicious communication is legitimate. [cyber.gc.ca]

A few seconds spent checking can make all the difference.

What if you’ve already clicked or responded?

First, don’t panic or feel embarrassed. These scams are specifically designed to fool people.

If you have provided financial information or sent money, contact your financial institution. If an account may have been compromised, change the affected passwords. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre also recommends gathering and keeping copies of relevant emails, texts, receipts and other information. [antifraudc…ifraude.ca]

Fraud and cybercrime can also be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, whether you were a victim or simply encountered an attempted fraud. [antifraudc…ifraude.ca]

One final reminder

Technology changes, and scams change with it. A phishing message may be poorly written and obvious, with things like spelling errors, but it may also be polished, personalized and very convincing.

Don’t rely on recognizing a scam. Rely on verifying an unexpected request.

If a message surprises you, pressures you, asks you to click something or requests information or money, take a moment before acting.

Stop. Check. Verify.