Scam Awareness

Many members of the University community have reported a wide range of frauds and scams. Many fraud and scam attacks are common forms of social engineering, used to target people in the form of malicious emails or messages. These attempts are on the rise and becoming more sophisticated and polished. Fraud and scam attacks are designed to confuse the recipient and to prey on human emotions such as fear, curiosity, or excitement to create a sense of urgency which prompts the victim to respond to the fraudster and expose themselves to risk.

Types of Scams

Students should be aware of the following types of scams that they might encounter while at U of T and beyond.

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Scammers are targeting university students through phishing emails from spoofed email addresses or through fake job postings on social media. They pose as a not for profit or a small business and advertise part-time, remote employment opportunities online. The jobs are entirely virtual and do not have a rigorous application process and may be paid in a foreign currency ($USD).

Don’t accept items or provide personal information for contests or jobs you never applied for it and verify the identity of anyone offering you employment, even if it looks like they work for a legitimate organization – Many employment frauds start as phishing emails that use logos from actual companies and email accounts. No legitimate employer will ask you to deposit company funds into your personal banking account to make payments to other parties on behalf of the organization or to request verification of banking information, application fees, money or passwords.

If you suspect that you may be the victim or being targeted in a scam, consider making a report to your local police or U of T’s Campus Safety Office. Make sure to document everything: Take screenshots of your communications with the individual (including URLs, names, email addresses, social media handles, and emails, text messages or direct messages) and save and copy all messages that have been sent to you.  You may need this information when making a report to the police.

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Scammers use phishing emails and text messages to steal personal information, such as passwords, social insurance numbers, and banking details. They trick victims into clicking links and filling out fake forms, giving criminals access to financial accounts. Once they have this information, they can open credit cards and accumulate debt in your name.

If you are concerned that you may have shared your personal information (e.g., SIN or credit card number) with a scammer, the CRA advises you to contact the police. If you suspect your SIN has been stolen, reach out to Service Canada at 1-800-206-7218. Visit their website for more information. You can also seek support from U of T’s Community Safety Office and report the incident to Campus Safety or Municipal Police.

Protect yourself by limiting the personal information you share online. Fraudsters mine social media for details about your location, studies, and personal life to craft convincing scams. Secure your contact details and avoid sharing your residence location. Stay vigilant and Google yourself to see what information is publicly available.

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Resources:

Standard links for CSO
Campus Safety
Tri-campus resources
Modules from CSO?