The case of the Misleading Meme With all the information that’s available online, it’s inevitable that some of it will be wrong. Sometimes it’s a case of inaccurate facts, sometimes it’s opinion, satire or parody, and other times, it’s a case of deliberate attempts to mislead or influence public opinion through alternative media. Either way,…
Category: Fraud Awareness
Don’t get scammed by your “friends”
Scammers use social media to initiate contact, and social engineering to get you to trust them. That’s when they strike. Just about everyone has a smart device, everything from mobile phones, to watches, camera doorbells, TVs and thermostats that ‘learn’. This “Internet of Things” can provide instant access to them to do daily functions and…
Protect yourself from job, mystery shopper scams
Have you ever wanted a new job where you can make your own hours, get paid for doing something you love, like shopping! Well, wait no more, you too can become a mystery shopper! Or, will you instead get taken by fraudsters and end up with no fancy new job, and owe money for cash…
9 Tips to be smarter with your smartphone
Unless you live under a rock, or are under 13, you probably have a smartphone. It may be hedging my bets, but that’s more common than uncommon now. Smartphones let you surf, shop or bank wherever you are. Make sure your information stays secure while you’re on the move by following these smartphone-safe browsing tips:…
Don’t use free WiFi for your digital banking
These days, everyone is on the go and it’s not uncommon to access Wi-Fi at coffee shops, hotels, restaurants or airports. Using wireless networks to access information is convenient, but not risk-free. Be smart when you surf. Protect yourself from threats by: Not using a shared computer to access your digital banking. We strongly recommend not…
Be fraud aware when shopping online
Online shopping is definitely convenient especially now. There are no lines and no crowds, but it can also be a haven for fraudsters. Consider the following tips when shopping online to ensure your information stays secure: Make sure that you are shopping at a trusted retailer when you enter your credit card details online. Use…
COVID-19 scams, and how to avoid them
It should come as no surprise to anyone that some people like to pray on the vulnerable. Perhaps it is in our caveman DNA, or perhaps it’s just that we have some really awful people in this world that take something like the pandemic as an opportunity to fleece people out of their money. A…
The pandemic making us an even more cashless society
During the pandemic, how often have you reached into to your wallet or purse and instead of paying with cash, you reached for your contactless or “tap” debit card or credit card so you didn’t have to touch anything? If you used cash then you’d have to accept change, from someone else. Everywhere you go,…
What’s Lock’N’Block?
For years, lost or stolen debit cards have been a source of frustration, and especially when fraudsters have been able to steal your PIN to access your accounts. Card fraud is on the decline, especially when you have a service like Lock ‘n’ Block from Encompass Credit Union. In this new normal, we’re also using…
Don’t let your passwords expire
In many circumstances, some online banking passwords, sunscreen and in most cases, potatoes expire at some point. No one likes when you reach into that bag and your ‘spuds are mushy and full of sprouts, or when that sunscreen you had to remortgage your house to purchase turns into a runny mess. Passwords are like…
