- COVID-19 Update from Health Canada
- Types of Scams
- Protecting yourself from scams
- What to do if you’ve been a victim of a scam
- For your safety
- Resources
Have you ever been a victim of a scam? Do you know someone who has? Maybe you aren’t even sure what a scam is? A scam is a method many hackers use in order to get money in addition to your personal information. Scams can result in identity theft, fraud, theft from your bank account or credit card, and computer viruses. There are many different types of scams that people may fall victim to and as a Carleton student, you need to be aware and know how to protect your personal information.
COVID-19 Update from Health Canada
Health Canada has issued a warning regarding the sale of fraudulent Covid-19 vaccines over the internet. The warning highlights that these vaccines are dangerous because they are not proven to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 and may contain other harmful substances as they are not regulated by Health Canada.
Health Canada has suggested the following measures to maintain public safety:
- Do not buy or use COVID-19 vaccines sold on the internet or from unauthorized sources as they are counterfeit, may pose risks to health, and are ineffective at protecting an individual from the COVID-19 virus.
- The only way to access safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines is through clinics organized or endorsed by your local public health authority, in collaboration with Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments.
- Consult a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Report any information on the sale or advertising of potential counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines to Health Canada
- Visit reliable and trusted sources of information, like the Government of Canada’s websites Canada.ca/vaccines and Canada.ca/coronavirus, and your local public health authority’s website.
- Report any health product adverse events to Health Canada
More information on this advisory can be found on the Recalls and Safety Alerts page of the Government of Canada website.
In addition to fraudulent vaccinations, Public Safety Canada has noticed an increase in various forms of online scams in relation to Covid-19 and the various forms of government assistance available as a result. For more information on benefit and employment scams, please visit the Public Safety website.
Types of Scams
Phishing
This is a message, typically sent through email, which copies the appearance of a reputable organization, like a bank, in order to trick users into giving up their personal information. There may also be links infected with viruses in these emails and once a user clicks on one, the scammer can gain the user’s personal information through monitoring their web data and placing a virus on their computer.
On the other hand, Spear phishing is a little bit different. This type of ‘phishing’ is small-scaled and well-targeted –in the sense that the individual sent the email is targeted specifically as opposed to regular phishing where mass-emailing is the chosen approach. The messages appear to be from a very trusted source and can contain specific details about the person who receives the email. For example, for anyone who works at Carleton, like a student, staff or faculty member, these messages can appear to be from the Human Resources department that deals with payment information. This phishing scam can look so believable and trustworthy, which is why a person may feel comfortable providing their information.
Internet Scams
It is very easy for someone to create a fake website that appears to look legitimate or copy the same look of the original website. These websites can claim to be official Government of Canada sites or their partners. For people who are interested in immigrating to Canada, like some international students, they can also promise amazing immigration deals and high paying jobs in order to trick people into giving them money and attempting to steal their identity.
Telephone Scams
These scams can come from anywhere around the world even if the number appears to be from Canada. The callers can pretend to be from a bank, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and more.
In particular, international students really need to watch out for the scams claiming to be the IRCC. These scam phone calls may threaten jail time or deportation to scare international students into providing their information. Always be careful and be aware of what information is being asked of you.
Extortion Scams
If someone is asking you to perform sexual acts or share intimate photos with them online, it is illegal for them to distribute those images in any way, or request payment for the images. It is not your fault if you shared intimate images and now are being threatened with them, and support is available through the Carleton Sexual Assault Support Centre or Campus Safety Services.
Please be aware that there is always a risk in sharing intimate images and acts online, particularly with people you don’t know. Even if you don’t share intimate images, a person on the other end of the camera can screenshot you or screen record you performing any intimate acts. Some online safety tips include:
- Only engage in cyber-intimacy with people you know and trust
- Cover your webcam when it’s not in use or when chatting with strangers online
- If you receive a threat to pay or your intimate images will be shared, seek support from Campus Safety Services or the Carleton Sexual Assault Support Centre immediately.
If you need advice or support, you can reach out to the Carleton University Sexual Assault Support Centre at equity@carleton.ca or visit our Sexual Violence Prevention and Survivor Support website.
Ottawa Police Services (OPS) issued a news release about a recent extortion scam targeting dating websites. (Oct 19, 2022).
Protecting yourself from scams
- If a website seems wrong to you, do a web search to see if anyone has reported any problems with that site.
- Don’t give out personal information unless you are sure you know whom you are dealing with.
- Don’t give out any information if the sender asks for personal information, such as your date of birth, password, credit card or bank details.
- Always check the language being used –do not give out your information if there are spelling mistakes present or the quality of the language does not sound right.
- If there is a link present, make sure you hover your mouse over the link to see it in its entirety at the bottom left corner of the computer screen to check if it is legitimate or fake.
- Always check the email to see if it is one that can be trusted –if the sender uses a Carleton, IRCC or CRA email, look to see if the format is identical to your Carleton email or the email formats on the IRCC and CRA sites. (ex. JaneDoe@cmail.carleton.ca or JaneDoe@cmail.carleton.com, notice how one uses .ca and the other uses .com –for Carleton the correct one always ends with .ca)
What to do if you’ve been a victim of a scam
- Contact Ottawa Police Call Centre at 613-236-1222, extension 7300 to file a report as a report cannot be filed online.
- Contact Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by going to their website or by calling 1-888-465-8501.
- Contact Campus Safety Services if the incident was in relation to Carleton University in any way, especially if there is an immediate on campus risk to you or someone you know; open 24/7, 365 days a year.
- Request a copy of your credit bureau report – in certain instances, this report may be free of charge. Request that a “Fraud Warning” be placed on your credit file instructing creditors to contact you personally before opening new accounts in your name – these warnings remain on file for 6 years. Remember to contact and file fraud warnings with both bureaus.
- Get help from Carleton resources such as Health and Counselling, Student Affairs or the ISSO.
If you encounter a suspicious message, website or phone call, please contact Carleton’s Information Technology Services (ITS) Service Desk at its.service.desk@carleton.ca or 613-520-3700. If you are scammed or click on a link in your Carleton email, please change your Carleton account password right away and contact the ITS Service Desk.
Students who are concerned that they may have been the victim or target of a scam can contact the Office of Student Affairs at studentaffairs@carleton.ca or 613-520-2600 extension 3126.
International students who are concerned they may have been the victim or target of a scam can contact in the International Student Services Office (ISSO) at isso@carleton.ca or 613-520-6600.
For your safety
Carleton Will Never
- Contact students on behalf of IRCC or CRA to request an immediate transfers of funds.
The CRA Will Never
- Give or ask for personal or financial information by email and ask you to click on a link.
- Email you a link asking you to fill in an online form with personal or financial details.
- Set up a meeting with you in a public place to take a payment.
- Threaten you with arrest, a prison sentence, deportation or other consequence.
The IRCC Will Never
- Ask you to deposit money into a personal bank account.
- Ask you to transfer money through a private money transfer service.
- Offer special deals to people who want to immigrate.
- Threaten you with arrest, a prison sentence, deportation or other consequence.
Resources
Carleton resources:
Government resources: