Online Security
4 TopicsIdentity Theft: Warning Signs and Reducing Risk
This article discusses Privacy and Security content originally published by TELUS Wise focusing on Identify Theft warning signs, minimizing the risk, and what to do if you suspect you’ve accidentally shared your info with scammers. Warning Signs Many victims of identity theft aren’t aware they’ve been victimized until they try applying for credit only to discover they don’t qualify despite a good credit score. If there's fraud happening, you can stop it. Keep an eye out for these warning signs: Bank or credit card transactions that are unfamiliar. Email/App/SMS Notifications from your bank informing you about changes to your account. You’re no longer receiving your usual mail/statements and instead getting new ones for accounts you didn’t sign up for. You’re getting calls about accounts and loans you’re not aware of. Your credit report is showing unusual activity such as new (or old) credit inquiries for accounts you never signed up for. Minimize Risk Scammers use all sorts of tricks to get your info but there are lots you can do to minimize your risk. Use strong passwords (think longer, complex, alpha-numeric, include random symbols, etc). Exercise extra caution when viewing emails that ask for your personal information. If it asks for your info, ignore the email and find the company’s contact information on their official website. Remember, if the email sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Set up a separate email address for financial services. When online shopping or making financial transactions, ensure the website is secure. Factory reset any device you sell or giveaway. Do not input personal information over a public Wi-Fi connection. Minimize how much personal information you share online (it can used to answer security questions or guess your passwords or pretend to be you to scam people you know and more.) Next Steps There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to identity theft but here are a few suggestions to get you started. Consider using any of the following as your next step: Contact your local police department non-emergency line and file a report. Report it to your bank or financial institution. Contact both national credit bureaus and 1) request a copy of your credit report 2) place a fraud alert on your file Equifax Canada: 1-800-465-7166 TransUnion Canada: 1-877-525-3823 Report fraud on the Canada Anti-fraud Centre website. It’s also a great resource for information on scams affecting Canadians. Your safety matters to us. Because scammers never stop, we're dedicated to providing you with information on the latest tactics used by them so that you can stay informed. For more on various scams and how to protect yourself, explore these other articles: Prize/Promotion Scams Call Related Scams Brand Impersonation Scams Digital/Online Scams FR Version508Views0likes0CommentsDigital Scams: What to Look For and Next Steps
This class of scams is generally carried out digitally using any one of (or combination of) email, SMS, or internet pop-up ads One-time Password (OTP) Code Scam Scammers target people selling items online (Ex., Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, Craigslist, etc) or seeking help to find a lost pet. They’ll contact you, feigning interest or tell you they've found your pet. Before buying or returning your pet, they fake hesitation, saying they've heard about scams and want to verify you're real. They'll send you a text with a verification code and ask you for it. What to do: If someone asks for a code, do not share it. Stop all communication with them. Pop-ups on websites You might encounter pop-up ads online or on social media claiming you, as a TELUS customer, are eligible for a survey or prize. What to do: Close the window and ignore it. These contests are not standard TELUS practice. For information about phishing, visit our website. e.Bill Fraud You might receive an authentic-looking email claiming an issue with your e.bill, asking you to log in to verify information. It may falsely say your payment was declined, or you need to update billing info or risk service interruption. You might be prompted to click a link to log in and provide sensitive information. What to do: Do not click links or submit info. Forward the email to [email protected] and delete it. TELUS will not email asking to verify personal information. For more info on this scam and protection, visit our website. Fraudulent text messages You may receive text messages stating you'll get a credit to your account through links like www.telusbonus.homestead.com (DO NOT VISIT) or www.telus50rewards.com (DO NOT VISIT). If you enter information on these sites, fraudsters may access your self-serve portal and control services. What to do: Do not click random links or enter personal information. Forward the spam to 7726 with SPAM in the message. Contact TELUS at 1-888-811-2323 or 1-866-558-2273 for investigation. Network Outage Rebate Scam A scam directs you to a fake site to claim a rebate for a network outage. You may be contacted via text message with the following (or a variation thereof): Subject: Telus Customer As a result of connection problems in the previous month, several Telus customers have had their past bills paid. Visit http://telus-fake website.com to complete your claim and get your 87.50CAD deposit. What to do: TELUS will not direct clients to a site for network outage rebates. Do not click the link. Forward spam to 7726 with the word “SPAM.” Instructions are here. Your safety matters to us. Because scammers never stop, we're dedicated to providing you with information on the latest tactics used by them so that you can stay informed. For more information on other scams and how to protect yourself, explore these other articles: Prize/Promotion Scams Call Related Scams Brand Impersonation Scams Identify Theft FR Version468Views1like1CommentPrize & Promotional Scams: Too Good to be True
This class of scams focus on awarding prizes or lucrative promotional offers. Remember: if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Vacation Scam This scam involves receiving a call with a recording that thanks you for choosing TELUS and offers you a free vacation or prize for “being a good customer.” If you stay on the line, you’ll be connected to a person who will try to convince you to give them your personal info or send money as a down payment on the vacation fees, etc. What you can do: Do not give out any personal information and hang up the call. Legitimate telemarketers will always know your name and will always provide you with a callback number to call them back at your convenience. This is a well known scam, and TELUS is working every day to have these fraudulent calls stopped. Free features/services or credits You may receive a call from a spoofed number, offering things such as promotional rate plans, free services, or credits. The caller will ask for your sensitive/personal or account information to apply for the promotion. What you can do: As before, never give out any personal or account information, and simply end the call. No further action is needed. Your safety matters to us. Because scammers never stop, we're dedicated to providing you with information on the latest tactics used by them so that you can stay informed. For more on various scams and how to protect yourself, explore these other articles: Call Related Scams Brand Impersonation Scams Digital/Online Scams Identity Theft FR Version399Views0likes0CommentsBrand Impersonation Scams: Types and Tips to Protect Yourself
This class of scams involves scammers pretending to be a representative of a legitimate organization. When in doubt, cease all correspondence and contact the organization directly by looking up their contact information on their official website. Sales/Return Scam Fraudsters contact customers and process an online or Direct Fulfillment (phone) order on behalf of the customer but intentionally orders the wrong device and/or color. The fraudster then calls the customer back, informs them the wrong device was shipped and: Directs them to return the device to an address unrelated to TELUS, or Advises they are sending a courier to retrieve the device on behalf of TELUS Proactively arrange to send out a return mailer. It is important to note, we will never call a customer to send out a return mailer. What you can do: If you receive a device that doesn’t match exactly what you’ve ordered, contact us. TELUS will NOT call you to return your device to a specific address. Instead, we'll email you a return label that you can bring to your local post office. They'll scan the label and take care of the rest. View our return process here. Posing as TELUS Recruitment for a job posting In this scam, a fraudster poses as TELUS Recruitment and asks for $50 for a "Premium ID" as part of the application process. What you can do: TELUS never requests monetary deposits for any roles/projects with our company. Do not give out any personal information and forward the email to [email protected] Posing as TELUS Support advising of internet/computer problems In this scam, a fraudster poses as TELUS Support advising you that you have a virus or computer problem in an attempt to gain your personal information. What you can do: Do not give any details to the fraudster or click on any links that may allow them to access your computer. If you think your computer may have been compromised, please contact TELUS at 1-888-811-2323 right away to investigate. Door to Door salesperson posing as a TELUS employee You may receive a visit from a fraudster pretending to be a legitimate TELUS employee. What you can do: Verify the name and ID of the salesperson. We have a great article about everything you need to know about our Door to Door team here. Do not give out any personal info if anything seems suspicious. If anything seems suspicious to you, end the conversation and contact TELUS right away with the following: Date / Time / Address of the encounter. Name of the salesperson if they gave it to you. Account Credit Scam (by phone or email) You may receive an email appearing to be from TELUS, encouraging you to upgrade your TV package and call a 1-8XX number. You reach a fake IVR claiming you have a large credit balance. You're then transferred to a fake 'TELUS agent' who requests personal information to pay out the money. What you can do: Do not dial the number provided. Do not provide personal information. Contact a TELUS representative with: Your name, phone number, account number, and details of the fraudulent call.Contact an official TELUS representative with the following information: Your name and phone number Account number Details of the fraudulent call you received Your safety matters to us. Because scammers never stop, we're dedicated to providing you with information on the latest tactics used by them so that you can stay informed. For more on various scams and how to protect yourself, explore these other articles: Prize/Promotion Scams Call Related Scams Digital/Online Scams Identify Theft FR Version399Views0likes0Comments
