Why scammers are counting on Canadians to have fraud fatigue
Canadians are experiencing widespread fraud fatigue.
They’re increasingly worn down by the steady stream of scams they face, reporting growing fatigue as fraud becomes more and more part of their everyday lives, according to a report published by Equifax Canada earlier this year.
Some people may be more vulnerable to fraud due to this fatigue.
MoneySense’s Penelope Graham interviewed Julie Kuzmic, Head of Consumer Advocacy and Compliance at Equifax Canada, about fraud fatigue.
Watch the interview on our YouTube channel or read a summary of some of the questions answered below.
A: Fraud fatigue can show up in the form of exhaustion experienced when you accidentally click a malicious link or respond to a scammy email. With multiple accounts to manage (social media, email, other apps), it can be tiring to stay on your hard and spot the warning signs.
A: Scams built around urgency in particular are effective. A message claiming to be from the government, warning that if you don’t pay an overdue amount immediately, there will be serious consequences. Some scammers will even send messages that looks like they’re from a family member or loved one, saying they urgently need help. When you’re fatigued, it’s harder to slow down and question a message like that, which makes it easier to fall for.
Read more about fraud and scams:
- As AI fuels a surge in travel scams, here’s how you can protect yourself
- Was that ‘recruiter call’ a job scam? Watch out for these red flags
- What to know if you ever fall victim to fraud in Canada
- Be on guard against fundraising fraud
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