A text arrives saying you have a government payment waiting.

An email says there is suspicious activity on your bank account.

A message claims your package cannot be delivered until you pay a small fee.

Your first instinct might be to click the link and figure out what is going on.

Stop. Don’t click. Verify.

Those three simple steps can help protect your money and personal information from increasingly convincing scams.

Scams Are Getting Harder to Spot

We used to be told to watch for obvious spelling mistakes, strange email addresses and poorly designed websites.

Those warning signs still matter, but they are no longer enough.

Scammers can use artificial intelligence to create realistic messages, images and websites. They can impersonate government departments, banks and other organizations people know and trust. The Government of Canada warns that scammers commonly create a sense of urgency, ask for personal or financial information, demand immediate payment, or send links they want you to click.

A message looking professional does not mean it is legitimate.

STOP

Scammers want you to react before you have time to think.

Your account has been compromised.

Your payment is waiting.

You must respond immediately.

Your account will be suspended.

Urgency is part of the trick.

Before doing anything, stop and ask yourself:

Why am I being contacted?

Was I expecting this message?

Why do they need this information?

Why does this have to happen right now?

If someone is pressuring or frightening you into making a financial decision immediately, that is a good reason to slow down.

DON’T CLICK

A link can look completely legitimate and still take you somewhere you do not want to go.

The CRA recommends avoiding links in unexpected texts and emails, even when they appear legitimate. Fake websites can closely resemble the real thing and may be designed to collect passwords, banking details, or other personal information.

Instead of clicking a link, open your browser yourself.

If the message supposedly came from the CRA, go to Canada.ca yourself.

If it came from your bank, use your banking app or type the bank’s website into your browser.

If someone calls claiming to represent an organization, you can end the call and contact the organization yourself.

Do not rely on the contact information supplied in the suspicious message.

VERIFY

This is the most important part.

Verification means checking the information independently.

If someone says they are calling from the CRA, for example, you do not have to take their word for it. The CRA advises people who are suspicious of a caller to end the call and independently contact the CRA to verify the information.

The same idea works for banks, credit card companies, utilities and other organizations.

Find their official contact information yourself and ask:

“Did you actually contact me?”

Taking two minutes to verify something can prevent a much bigger problem.

Watch for Requests for Personal Information

Be especially cautious when an unexpected message asks for things like:

• Your Social Insurance Number
• Banking information
• Credit or debit card numbers
• Passwords
• Verification codes
• Birth date or other identifying information
• Payment through cryptocurrency or gift cards

The Government of Canada identifies requests for personal or financial information, cryptocurrency or gift card payments, threatening language and demands for immediate payment as potential signs of a scam.

What About Government Benefits and Refunds?

Messages about unexpected money can be especially tempting.

Scammers know that.

The CRA currently warns about fake government benefit payments, fake refunds and messages claiming recipients need to click a link to receive a credit or payment.

If you hear about a new government benefit, rebate, credit or payment, don’t rely on a social media post, text message or email to determine whether it is real.

Go directly to an official government website and check.

Remember These Three Words

Scams will continue to change.

The technology will change.

The messages will change.

The stories scammers tell will change.

But your response can stay the same:

STOP.

Don’t let urgency make the decision for you.

DON’T CLICK.

Go to the organization’s official website or app yourself.

VERIFY.

Contact the organization independently before providing information or sending money.

You don’t need to become an expert at identifying every scam.

You just need to make verification a habit.

Need Help?

If you believe you have encountered fraud or a scam, information about recognizing and reporting fraud is available through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and Government of Canada.

And remember, if something about a message, phone call, or email doesn’t feel right, you are allowed to stop the conversation and check.