Computer crooks are improving their game. This community, with its older demographic, is particularly vulnerable to these scams. There is a way to protect people, but nothing is being done.
Whether on the telephone, in emails or texts, there are new ways criminals are out to take your money. One of the latest is sending you a text saying thanks for your order. If you didn’t buy it or subscribe to it intentionally, delete it. You almost certainly didn’t buy a subscription to a service in Australia so if you receive a reminder to pay it, it’s a trick to get you to give out your email address, credit card information, and so on. Do not reply. Replying will get you many more phishing emails as your address will be shared or sold to other scammers.
Criminals make emails that look as if they come from legitimate organizations. Check the email address. Or just erase it. It can’t be that important.
Telephone calls claiming to be from the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) or Visa can fool the vulnerable. People have a right to more protection, and it can be done. Much of this is in the federal jurisdiction. Ottawa could order the CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television Council) to force telephone companies to take measures to stop these calls. Oddly, privacy concerns could cause some hesitation to do so. Pascal St. Onge, our federal member of Parliament is a super star in the Liberal cabinet. Let her know that you expect the government to do something soon. They have been as long as a year and half in power, more than enough time to make people’s lives safer. Her co-ordinates are on the Internet.
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