Spot the Scam – Phone, Text, and Tech Support Fraud
Hi there. Welcome back to “Your Canadian Senior Moment”!
In our last lesson, we focused on online security, passwords, and 2FA. Today, we’re continuing our mission to keep you safe by looking at scams that don’t always come through email. Phone calls, text messages, and pop-up warnings are common ways fraudsters try to trick Canadians, especially seniors. Knowing how to spot them is your best defence.
The Three Most Common Scams
These scams rely on creating panic and urgency to stop you from thinking clearly.
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The CRA or Service Canada Scam (The Authority Scam):
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The Hook: You receive a call from someone claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or Service Canada. They threaten you with immediate arrest, fines, or loss of benefits unless you pay them right away using gift cards or cryptocurrency.
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The Truth: The CRA will never call and demand immediate payment using gift cards or threatening jail time. The government communicates about serious issues through official letters sent by mail.
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The Grandparent Scam (The Emotional Scam):
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The Hook: You receive a call from someone pretending to be your grandchild, a niece, or a close family friend. They claim to be in a foreign jail, an emergency, or an accident, and desperately need money wired immediately. They often ask you to “keep it a secret.”
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The Truth: This scam preys on your love. If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately and call the family member back directly on a number you know is correct.
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The Tech Support Scam (The Fear Scam):
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The Hook: A pop-up appears on your computer (often with loud alarm sounds) claiming your machine is infected with a virus. Or, someone calls you, claiming to be from a company like Microsoft or Apple, saying they’ve detected a virus on your computer. They ask for remote access to “fix” it or for you to pay them a fee.
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The Truth: Legitimate companies will never call you out of the blue to tell you your computer has a virus. Never grant remote access to a stranger.
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What to Do: The Rule of Three
When in doubt, use these three simple steps:
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Hang Up/Delete: The moment a call feels suspicious or creates intense urgency, hang up. If it’s a text, delete it without replying.
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Verify Independently: If they claim to be from the bank or a company, do not use the number they gave you. Look up the official number online or on your last statement and call them back.
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Never Use Gift Cards or Crypto: No government agency, bank, or reputable company will ever ask you to pay a debt or fee using gift cards (like Google Play or Amazon) or Bitcoin. That is a guaranteed sign of a scam.
Your Turn to Practice!
Write down the phone number for the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501) and keep it near your phone. Making a note of this number is an easy, proactive step toward protecting yourself.
What’s Next? In our next lesson, we will move away from scams and look at a fun way to use the internet: securely sharing photos and connecting with family through online platforms. We’ll see you then!
(Please remember: Your device and screen may look slightly different from our examples. If you run into any difficulty, please describe any problem in the comments and we’ll do our best to help you individually.)
Warmly,
Bill and Marilyn
Founders of Canadian Senior Moment