Phishing — the act of tricking you into giving away personal information — has been around for decades, but it’s constantly evolving. Fraudsters now use emails, texts, and even messaging apps to impersonate banks, delivery companies, or government agencies. The goal is the same: get you to click, panic, or pay.
Common Red Flags
Urgency and fear: “Your account will be suspended in 24 hours!”
Generic greetings: “Dear customer” instead of your real name.
Suspicious links: URLs that look close but not quite right (e.g., “canada-govt.ca”).
Attachments you didn’t expect: PDFs, ZIP files, or Word docs carrying malware.
Spelling or formatting quirks: Still common, though many scams look polished.
Odd requests: Asking for gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto.
Canadian Context
CRA scams: Fake tax refunds or threats about unpaid balances.
Delivery scams: Canada Post and courier impersonations asking for “redelivery fees.”
Regional targeting: Messages tailored to local institutions or telecom providers.
Growing sophistication: Some scams now mimic real two-factor authentication texts.
The Challenges
Polished deception: Scams are harder to spot at a glance.
Information overload: Inboxes and phones are already crowded, making it easy to miss a red flag.
Shame barrier: Many don’t report being fooled out of embarrassment.
Volume: Canadians face thousands of phishing attempts daily — it’s not “if,” but “when.”
The Opportunities
Education campaigns: Teach people to slow down before clicking.
Verification habits: Call your bank or agency directly, using the number on their website — never the one in the message.
Community reporting: Sharing scam examples helps others recognize them faster.
Built-in protections: Push telecoms and email providers to filter more effectively.
The Bigger Picture
Phishing works not because people are careless, but because humans are built to trust. Protecting ourselves means creating systems and habits that honour trust without making it so easy to exploit.
The Question
If phishing is now part of everyday life, how do we turn scam-spotting from a specialist skill into a universal reflex for Canadians online?
Phishing Emails and Fraud Texts
Same Old Trick, New Disguises
Phishing — the act of tricking you into giving away personal information — has been around for decades, but it’s constantly evolving. Fraudsters now use emails, texts, and even messaging apps to impersonate banks, delivery companies, or government agencies. The goal is the same: get you to click, panic, or pay.
Common Red Flags
Canadian Context
The Challenges
The Opportunities
The Bigger Picture
Phishing works not because people are careless, but because humans are built to trust. Protecting ourselves means creating systems and habits that honour trust without making it so easy to exploit.
The Question
If phishing is now part of everyday life, how do we turn scam-spotting from a specialist skill into a universal reflex for Canadians online?