Fraud Awareness

As COVID-19 continues to spread globally, watch out for associated scams. Fraudsters want to profit from consumers' fears, uncertainties and misinformation. Fraudsters are exploiting the crisis to facilitate fraud and cyber-crime.

Northern Savings will never send you an email or text  asking you for private information such as passwords or login credentials.

Email Phishing Notification

Email Scams - Phishing

You may get an email that looks like it’s from a real company. It could ask you for private information, such as your date of birth, passwords, login credentials, or credit card details. Sometimes the email will tell you to visit a fake website.

If you get this kind of email, don’t click on any links or give any information about yourself. If you have any doubts about where the email came from, make sure to check the identity of the sender by looking up their company phone number or website. Do not call or email the sender using the contact information contained in the email.

Watch Out For...

  • Spoofed government, healthcare or research information
  • Unsolicited calls, emails and texts giving medical advice or requesting urgent action or payment - if you didn't initiate contact, you don't know who you're communicating to
  • Suspicious links and attachments (never respond or click on these) 
  • Never give out your personal or financial details
  • Unauthorized or fraudulent charities requesting money for victims, products or research - don't be pressured into making a donation/verify that a charity is registered
  • High-priced or low-quality products purchased in bulk by consumers and resold for profit
  • CRA through texts that encourage the receiver to click on a link to access an emergency benefit. CRA NEVER uses texts to communicate. Delete the text immediately as the link harbours malware.
If you are a victim of fraud or think your personal financial information may have been compromised, contact us immediately >

Reported Scams

Fraudsters have been reported as posing as:

  • Cleaning or heating companies - offering duct cleaning services or air filters to protect from COVID-19
  • Local and provincial hydro/electrical power companies - threatening to disconnect your power for non-payment
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization - offering fake lists for sale of COVID-19 infected people in your neighbourhood
  • Public Health Agency of Canada - giving false results saying you have been tested positive for COVID-19 tricking you into confirming your health card and credit card numbers for a prescription
  • Red Cross and other known charities - offering free medical products (e.g. masks) for a donation
  • Government departments - sending out coronavirus-themed phishing emails tricking you into opening malicious attachments tricking you to reveal sensitive personal and financial details
  • Financial advisors - pressuring people to invest in hot new stocks related to the disease, offering financial aid and/or loans to help you get through the shut downs
  • Door-to-door sales people - selling household decontamination services
  • Private companies - offering fast COVID-19 tests for sale. Only health care providers can perform the tests, no other tests are genuine or guaranteed to provide accurate results

Trusted Websites and Resources