Don't be a victim to these 6 common scams

It is not only businesses that can fall prey to these scams. Plenty of Canadians have had their personal information stolen through similar schemes.

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(NC) If internet scams are not on your radar, they should be. 

It is not only businesses that can fall prey to these scams. Plenty of Canadians have had their personal information stolen through similar schemes.

Here's what to look for in six common scams:

1. CEO spoofing. Victims receive an email claiming to be from the “CEO” asking them to make an urgent payment outside of normal procedures. Emails are written in a different style than usual and there is an uncommon payment request. The money is inevitably stolen  
   
   
2. Email scam. Phishing scams appear to be legitimate emails, but are fraudulent messages that may lead to downloading viruses or attempts to collect and steal personal information. Beware of unsolicited emails that require clicking through. Equip all hard drives and network systems with anti-phishing software.
   
   
3. Invoice scam. Fraudsters research a company so they know what suppliers are used and when regular payments are due. Then, they pose as a supplier to create phony invoices. Watch for small discrepancies in invoices, like a different address. Implement a standard accounts payable process so all invoices are validated.   
   
   
4. Text message. Text scams called “smishing” look like they are from a bank or other trusted organization and alert the victim to an account fraud or personal issue. Most smishing messages play on fear. Any correspondence that requires personal details is usually a scam.   
   
   
5. Internet scams. A fake pop-up sends a “scam alert” message. Clicking on it links to a fake website, or allows malware to be downloaded. Beware of any unsolicited message that requires you to link somewhere else.
   
   
6. Phone scam. Fraud over the phone, called “vishing,” is still popular. It happens when a fraudster calls, claiming to be from the bank or some other trusted organization. It is a scam if personal or financial details such as PIN numbers or banking passwords are required.

Protect your workplace by encouraging employees to be on the lookout for scams. Ongoing security training should teach them to question every request for payment or information change and to never disclose sensitive personal information on a phone call, text or email.

All organizations should implement a culture of security from the top down. Partner with reliable third parties for security-related services, like Shred-it, to outsource document destruction and eliminate security risks.

www.newscanada.com