Every day, scam artists from around the world are finding new ways, and using the latest technology, to break into office networks or personal computers, or invent new phone or online scams in order to steal information and money from unsuspecting consumers. 

Because of the variety and sheer volume of these activities, it is virtually impossible to track every incident or find the source of every fake marketing operation. As a result, more and more consumers and businesses are becoming victims of fraud and losing millions every year.

Education is your best protection

We encourage you to find out more about phishing (email fraud), telemarketing scams and other types of activities that can make you vulnerable.  Here are some examples of what you should be looking out for – as well as some tips that will help you stay safe online and offline.   

Telemarketing or prize scams.  Aggressive marketing tactics are often used in order to “close the deal”, enabling the scam artist to quickly obtain your money and important information such as your banking information or credit card number.

Important tip: Watch out for “suspiciously generous” offers and make sure you are dealing with a legitimate business when you make a purchase over the phone or the Internet.  Take the time you need to think about the offer and don’t give out your personal information, unless you’ve contacted the business through its regular channels, e.g. 310-Bell. (See an important Message to Bell customers regarding incidents of telemarketing fraud using Bell’s name)

Email fraud or phishing. This refers to the use of deceptive emails and fake web sites using the brand name of a legitimate business or government agency in order to obtain the personal information of web users for purposes of identity theft and other types of fraud. For more information, go to the Bell Internet support site.

 Important tip: Be aware of emails with urgent requests for personal information. Legitimate companies usually follow strict privacy guidelines when communicating with customers. They will not phone or email consumers requesting information such as password, bank information, social insurance number, etc. unless they are responding to a customer inquiry. For more information about Bell’s privacy policy, go to bell.ca/privacy

Identity theft. Scam artists are now using a wide range of tactics in order to steal your information online and offline. In addition to phishing, your personal information may be pulled from social networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace, your computer, your mailbox and even a recycling bin.

Important tip: Limit what information you share  on social networking sites. Keep your passwords, back account information and social insurance number confidential at all times, and check your bank and credit card statements frequently.

Toll fraud Scam artists are finding creative schemes used to steal your money by accessing your voice mail system, your calling card information or your web browser and making sure the additional long-distance fees are charged to you.  Bell’s Fraud Control Centre continuously monitors this activity on our networks and works diligently to protect our customers and our employees. It is also your responsibility to remain vigilant and adopt the simple, but important, safeguards that can protect you from toll fraud.

Important tips:

1. Be cautious with the information you provide over the phone and make sure no one is watching when keying  in your calling card PIN or any other PIN;
2. Watch out for free downloads over the Web. Some sites will try to draw you in with free offers and then download programs that may be directing your Web browser to an Internet service provider overseas. You will be charged the additional long-distance fees.
3. Always check your monthly statements carefully and look out for unusual charges.

For more useful tips on how to protect yourself from toll fraud, visit our toll fraud site

To find out more about fraud prevention, go to www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/fraud  

If you suspect you’ve been a target of fraud and would like to report a problem, contact Phonebusters, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre, at 1 888-495-8501 or go to http://www.phonebusters.com.