It’s a scary truth, but more and more people are getting tricked by online scams.
According to Statista, internet fraud has increased tremendously in the past decade, with over 43,000 cases reported in 2023.
“The fidelity of these attacks is going up and the skill level of fraudsters who perpetuate these attacks is also going up. They’re incredibly professional,” says technology analyst Carmi Levy.
Often, it’s people who need help with immigration or who are thinking of leaving the country who are targeted.
“They’re just looking for the easiest mark and at this point, individuals who are looking for immigration guidance… they are ripe for the picking,” says Levy.
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A recent study by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship revealed that 26 per cent of newcomers are considering leaving Canada within the next two years.
Winnipeg lawyer Sofia Mirza notes that these scams often involve requests for sensitive personal information, such as an individual’s credit score or details about their immigration file.
“These questions are concerning; they are designed to assess the victims” says Mirza.
Scammers use this information to figure out how to best exploit their victims.
“We have been sharing information with both the province of Manitoba and the government of Canada through our professional associations to try and assist in combating the fraud that we’re seeing in our legal practices,” Mirza says.
But in the meantime, it’s crucial to be extra careful online.
“Don’t trust everything you see on social media, and if something seems off, it probably is.” says Levy.
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