Online safety

AVOIDING FRAUD

At Fortissio, we are committed to the security of your financial information. It helps if you also take every step you can to ensure the safety and privacy of your information. To help you understand certain types of fraud such as identity theft, online fraud and scams, we’ve listed some examples and detailed some of the major threats on the Internet today, as well as ways to take action to both prevent and manage these issues if they occur.

Online Fraud

Online fraud and scams occur when someone poses as a legitimate company to obtain your personal and financial information in order to illegally conduct transactions on your existing accounts. Often called “phishing” or “spoofing,” the most current methods of online fraud are fake e-mails, websites and/or pop-up windows.

Fake emails

Ask you for personal information. Fake e-mails often contain an overly generic greeting and may claim that your information has been compromised, that your account has been frozen, or ask you to confirm the authenticity of your transactions.

Appear to be from a legitimate source. While some e-mails are easy to identify as fraudulent, others may appear to be from a legitimate address and trusted online source. However, you shouldn’t rely on the name or address in the “From” field, as this is easily altered.

Contain prizes or gift certificate offer. Some fake e-mails promise a prize or gift certificate in exchange for completing a survey or answering questions. In order to collect the alleged prize or gift certificate you may be directed to provide your personal information. Just like with job offers, be sure to confirm that prize or gift certificate is being issued from a known and trusted company.

Fake websites

Links to counterfeit websites. Fake e-mails may direct you to counterfeit websites carefully designed to look real, but which actually collect personal information for illegal use. Check the URL in your browser’s address bar to ensure you are visiting a legitimate website.

Links to real websites. In addition to links to counterfeit websites, some fake e-mails also include links to legitimate websites as supplements to fraudulent e-mails in order to make them appear real.

Fake phone numbers

Contain fraudulent phone numbers. Fake e-mails often contain telephone numbers that are tied to the fraudsters. Never call a number featured on an e-mail you suspect is fraudulent, and be sure to cross-check any numbers you do call with companies you know and trust.

Contain real phone numbers. Some of the telephone numbers listed in fake e-mails may be legitimate, connecting to actual companies. Just like with links to legitimate websites (above), fraudsters include real phone numbers in an effort to make the e-mail appear legitimate.

What You Can Do to Avoid a Scam

Block unwanted calls and text messages. Take steps to block unwanted calls and to filter unwanted text messages.

Don’t give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn’t expect. Legitimate organizations won’t call, email, or text to ask for your personal information, like your Social Security, bank account access, or full debit/credit numbers.

If you get an email or text message from a company you do business with and you think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links. Instead, contact them using a website you know is trustworthy. Or look up their phone number. Don’t call a number they gave you or the number from your caller ID.

Resist the pressure to act immediately. Legitimate businesses will give you reasonable time to provide information and documentation. Anyone who pressures you to act immediately may be a scammer.

Know how scammers tell you to pay. Never pay someone who insists you pay with a gift card or by using a money transfer service. And never deposit a check and send money back to someone.

Stop and talk to someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell someone — a friend, a family member, a neighbour — what happened. Talking about it could help you realize it’s a scam.

Reporting suspicious activity

Should you wish to report any suspicious activity in relation to Fortissio, please inform our Customer Support Officer.