Online shopping for Black Friday? Beware of Cyber Threats, Federal Partners Warn – National

stevenschwartzNovember 25, 2022

Canadians are being asked to be aware of cyber threats while shopping online on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

In a joint statement, Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Get Cyber Safe Campaign, Canadian Anti-Fraud Center (CAFC) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) warn against “getting caught up in the excitement” .

“In the rush to secure a deal online, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of big savings offered by savvy retailers,” a statement issued by the federal partners said Thursday.

According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center (CAFC), “COVID-19 has created a ripe environment for fraud and online criminal activity.”

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For example, in 2021, the CAFC said fraud related to the buying and selling of goods and services online will account for more than $21.1 million in reported losses.

“If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” the CAFC said.

According to the Get Cyber Safe campaign, there are also ways to avoid getting scammed by recognizing some key indicators, such as prices being too low or sites looking poorly designed.

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Red flags to look out for include payment processes that look overly complicated, stores that are missing important information, or stores that lack security elements.

“The majority of legitimate retailers will always have return policies, privacy policies, and proper contact information for their business,” the statement said.

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Regarding the security factor, “an open or missing padlock symbol next to the URL in the address bar indicates that the website’s data is not secure,” and consumers will not buy from it. The statement added that it should not.

Also, watch out for Typo or Errors in Store URLs.

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“Fraud, scams and cybercrime are a serious problem that is seriously impacting individuals, businesses and organizations in Canada and around the world. We continue to make sacrifices,” said Chris Lynam, director of Canada’s Anti-Fraud Center and National Cybercrime Coordination Center, in a statement.

“The best way to protect yourself and those around you is to learn and report what fraud and cybercrime looks like,” he added.

Federal partners advise anyone who is a victim of cybercrime, scams, and scams to contact their local law enforcement immediately.

The CAFC also said it’s important for Canadians to report to the agency via the online reporting system or by calling 1-888-495-8501, regardless of whether they are victims.