As Albertans begin the search for holiday gifts, the RCMP is reminding residents to protect themselves against cybercrime.
“The Christmas season is around the corner, and that means we’re probably all going to be going out looking to buy some nice gifts for our loved ones,” said Fraser Logan, Alberta RCMP media relations manager.
That means increased shopping at both brick-and-mortar stores and online, he said, which allows the opportunity for cybercrime to occur.
Cybercrime, Logan said, is any instance where the Internet and information technology plays a substantial role in a criminal offence.
“Honestly, the scams are as varied as the people who are doing them,” he said. “Everyone has a different way that they try to build confidence with you as their hopeful mark. It could be online romance, it could be simply trying to get personal information or credit card numbers to get more credit out of your name.”
When it comes to cybercrime, Logan said, the main message is to be abundantly cautious. If a website, email or link looks suspicious, he said, “take a step back.” While many people may believe the targets of these crimes are individuals with a low Internet literacy, such as children or seniors, anyone can fall victim.
Several precautions exist that can help prevent cybercrime – foremost of which, according to Logan, is ensuring you have a strong password. Passwords, he said, should be unique, changed frequently and kept private. While he acknowledged this can be tedious, he noted it is a key step in online security.
“If you control all that private information, and you don’t save it on a website – even on a website that you trust – you’re that much better for it,” he said.
He added shoppers should never autosave credit card information online, even on trusted websites. Internet users are also encouraged to check the address bar of the sites they visit and ensure it is using HTTPS rather than HTTP, which signals they are on a secure website that encrypts sensitive information.
Be wary of any emails from service providers like Amazon, Netflix or Apple indicating suspicious activity or requesting updated credit card information, Logan added.
“First thing to do is delete that email – do not ever follow the link within that email, it may send you to a website that’s not secure,” he said.
Instead, he suggested logging directly onto your online account and checking your information there.
Likewise, if you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be a bank or government agency, Logan said, you should politely let them know you will call them back, then search out the customer service number for that organization and inquire about the status of your account.
No government agency or large corporation will ever request funds in the form of Bitcoin, wire transfers like Western Union or gift cards, according to Logan. Anyone purporting to speak for a government agency requesting those forms of payment should set off alarm bells, he said. Additionally, no government agency will threaten to send the police if you do not pay immediately.
Other tips include frequently monitoring finances by checking bank accounts and credit cards to make sure everything looks right, and avoiding public Wi-Fi for banking and financial transactions. More tips and information are available by googling “Canadian anti-fraud centre,” Logan added.
Victims of these types of crimes don’t always report them to the police – especially if they have a smaller financial impact. While they may feel sheepish, Logan encourages any victim of cyber crime to make a call to the RCMP.
“No report is a small report,” he said. “We are a data-driven organization – that’s what policing is. It may feel small for you, but it’s very important to us.”
