How Can I protect my family from Cyber Scams and Email phishing?
Not going to lie…it’s a crazy world right now. Having the sniffles terrifies me and people might be eating bats. With the never ending COVID-19 pandemic, people are working from home on their laptops but feeling worried, anxious, and emotionally vulnerable with these uncertain times. Unfortunately, it is the perfect time for these cyber-bullies to strike. From identity theft to email phishing scams, it’s important to know how you can protect your personal information and feel secure. Your insurance coverage is one of those things you want to keep safe.
Yeah but, what steps should I take?
Since the onset of COVID-19, there have been more incidences of email scamming, text scamming and theft. Some scammers are posing as reputable companies trying to take money or organizations trying to solicit donations trying to get you to click on links that steal your personal information or gain access to your device. We don’t want you to be fooled, so we’ve created a list of steps you can take to help protect yourself:
- Do not visit unsecured websites from your devices
- Use trusted antivirus or anti-malware on your computer, laptop, and other devices
- If an email looks suspicious, immediately check the “from” not just the username (they will most likely have a crazy email such as 21537985948@reply.com & are not credible)
- Look for typos in the emails or text message
- Ask yourself, “would my bank send an email about something this important?” If the answer is no, it’s likely, not legit. Do not click and call them immediately to verify.
- DO NOT click on any attachments from an unknown sender (I’m sorry but the chances you won an all-inclusive trip to Bali right now are slim to none…)
- DO NOT put in any personal or banking information from an email asking for verification (if in doubt, call the company in question!)
- Stay informed on the latest scams and share less information online! Click here for a great resource from the Government of Canada outlining everything you need to know about fraud and scams.
Beware of the CRA Scam!
One scam that has been occurring since the pandemic has been the CERB scam. Because a lot of people have been turning to benefits in this trying time, scammers have been persistent in emailing pretending to be the CRA with a very believable email saying you received a deposit for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. This is a scam. The CRA will never ask for personal information by email or ask you to click on a link. For more information visit this link here.
Where does this leave me?
It can be scary to think that there are people out there who try and gain from other people’s suffering. But for every negative there should surely be a positive. If you can, try and look for the positives. Connect with your family, pay for the masked strangers’ coffee behind you, enjoy the little things and stay safe. You might want to check with your Licensed Insurance Broker to ensure your current home insurance plan has identity theft coverage. It can include things like replacing ID’s and passports, covering legal expenses, lost income and much more! We never plan for events like this to happen, but it’s smart to be prepared. And this is where Insurely can help you. Good bye scammers. Hello confidence!
Sending virtual hugs (because real hugs are so not okay right now).
So, are you covered? No? Well, hurry up and get covered today!
