Ottawa – The Communications Security Establishment (CSE), the Get Cyber Safe campaign, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are reminding Canadian consumers to be vigilant for cyber threats while shopping online this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
In the rush to secure deals online, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the big savings being offered by savvy retailers. As cybercrime activity continues to rise, shoppers must take the necessary measures to mitigate the risks of online shopping. According to the CAFC, there were 70,878 reports of fraud in Canada with over $530 million stolen in 2022.
Get Cyber Safe offers Canadians simple steps to stay cyber safe and protect their data this Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It is important to recognize signs of illegitimate online stores and only purchase from secure websites.
Canadians should be wary of:
- Prices that are too low – There’s a limit to how much consumers can expect to save.
- Red flags about payment – For legitimate businesses’ online stores, the process for paying for merchandise online should be straightforward and standardized – Canadians should be wary of processes that seem overly complicated.
- Sites that look poorly designed – Most legitimate online stores will invest time and effort into the user experience, with nice images, an easy-to-navigate website and a smooth check-out process. Spoofed stores don’t apply the same standards.
- Stores that are missing key information – The majority of legitimate retailers will always have a return policy, a privacy policy and proper contact information for the business.
- Stores that are missing security elements – A padlock symbol next to the URL in the address bar that is open or missing indicates the website’s data is not secure.
- Typos or errors in the URL of the store – A common method of spoofing websites of popular brands is to substitute correct letters for ones that appear to be accurate, for example Go0gle.com.
Canadian consumers are encouraged to take extra steps to protect their data and accounts when shopping online, to avoid falling victim to fraud. These steps include:
- Never save credit card information in a browser
- Make online purchases through personal Wi-Fi networks. If purchases must be made on public networks, use cellular data or set up a virtual private network (VPN)
- Purchase from familiar brands
- Do research and read reviews
Common sense is a good guide for staying cyber safe during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period. A simple adage that is particularly applicable during the holidays is if something appears too good to be true, it probably is.
The Get Cyber Safe and CAFC websites offer Canadians important information and tools to stay cyber safe in all aspects of their lives. Visit the Get Cyber Safe holiday resources and Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s holiday scams and fraud pages to learn more about protecting yourself during the holiday season.
Anyone who has been a victim of a cybercrime, a fraud or scam, should contact their local police immediately. It is also important you report an instance, whether you are a victim or not, to the CAFC via their Online Reporting System or by phone at 1-888-495-8501.