Fraudsters execute a variety of techniques to defraud people. For months, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has warned Canadians that fraudsters are using the COVID-19 crisis to promote disinformation and cyber attacks. Fraudsters have preyed on people who seem to be willing to assist them in reimbursing the Canada Emergency Response Grant, pretending to be trying to raise money for non-profit organizations, and even duping people into paying for bogus COVID-19 vaccines. Consequently, organizations have been educating people for months in order to help them hold their guards up.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has recorded a loss of over $10 million in Canadian dollars as a result of the criminal breach of confidence in the last two months. This rise is expected to be about 50% higher than the year 2020. Furthermore, TD Bank conducted a survey of Canadians who claimed that being isolated during a lockdown and spending the majority of their time online, such as shopping online, has exposed them to more cybercrime. Online shopping takes up a huge amount of time these days. The survey highlighted the fact that women, in particular, report a high degree of victimization. The survey also revealed that Canadians are often victimized as a result of their hectic schedules, which prevents them from recognizing fraudulent signs.
Nevertheless, preventative measures are being considered and introduced in growing numbers. As more people become aware of the issue, it will become easier to fix it. As a solution, more conversation with friends is suggested, which aids in staying current. I've had a lot of conversations with my friends about different types of frauds and how people are conned. Interestingly, the insights I gained from my conversation with my friends were reinforced by the service providers when I went to Service Canada to get my SIN as an international student. I was told that I couldn't give my SIN to someone who called pretending to be from Service Canada because they never took my phone number. This was a really clear reason why Service Canada couldn't call because they didn't have any of my phone numbers on record. Increased online interaction and alienation have undoubtedly exposed Canadians to further financial frauds; however, they must be vigilant about exchanging personal details with strangers and be aware of the signs of fraudulent calls to avoid becoming victims.