Oh noooo! The computer that crashes at the end of a university session! With work to hand in, exams to prepare for…
Published at 5:00 a.m.
With stress running low, the young girl searches the web for the phone number of a technician. Miracle, a Microsoft representative is available. She gives him remote control of his computer. Helpful and reassuring, he takes his time to help her.
“I see that you overpaid $139 for your Microsoft license. We can refund you if you request here. »
The young girl runs quickly. But, to her amazement, the technician told her that she had added two “nines” too many. Microsoft reimbursed him $13,999. When she looks in her online bank account, the stunned young girl sees this amount added to her balance.
The technician asks him to return the money by the end of the day, otherwise the lawyers will sue. The young girl’s stress turns into deep anguish.
Don’t worry, she didn’t fall into the trap, because it was indeed one. Microsoft’s call center was fake. The bank transfer was just a mirage. But the mishap, which occurred in Montreal just before Christmas, is 100% real. The 20-year-old student was left with a major cleaning of her computer and procedures with her financial institution and credit agencies.
In France, poor Anne did not have the same saving reflex. The story of this 54-year-old woman who transferred the equivalent of $1.2 million to a fake Brad Pitt unleashed passions last week.
For a year and a half, Anne believed she was having a romantic relationship with the Hollywood star who allegedly needed money to treat cancer, while her divorce prevented her from accessing his fortune.
The most terrible thing about this affair is that Anne was the subject of a wave of ridicule on social media, after the broadcast of the television report in which she had the courage to tell her story to prevent other dramas.
It’s sad, because his testimony was a great opportunity to remind people that no one is safe. Even the most educated, even the most skeptical. Everyone can have a moment of vulnerability and get on board with these fraudsters who are so adept at building trust and creating a sense of urgency.
Cyberfraud has become a real pandemic.
In Canada, financial losses due to cybercrime have jumped 350% in five years, according to the RCMP Anti-Fraud Centre.
The scams are fueled by an army of enslaved workers in overseas call centers. Organized crime lures them with job offers on Facebook, Telegram, TikTok or LinkedIn. After several interviews, the selected candidates obtain a plane ticket… to hell.
When they arrive, their passports are confiscated and they are forced to scam people online. Those who are not effective enough are tortured or raped. At least 300,000 people are believed to be captive, according to the United States Institute of Peace.1.
-We must tackle this scourge.
Last year, our governments developed a concerted strategy against auto theft. We would like to see them deploy as much energy to establish a national plan against cybercrime which causes much greater harm, both financially and psychologically, and which leaves victims without support or insurance.
Recently, Australia and the United Kingdom have deployed a robust strategy against online fraud, says Benoît Dupont, holder of the Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity. Both countries observed a reduction in online fraud of 13% and 3%, respectively, in 2023.
Let’s bring out the heavy artillery too.
All key players must collaborate.
Digital giants have a great responsibility, because their platforms are often the gateway for fraudsters. Why is it that there is not more verification before fraudulent advertisements are put online? It will be interesting to see the response of the courts in the context of the collective action against Meta put forward by host Marie-Claude Barrette, in 2024.
Financial institutions must also do more.
Thanks to Bill 72, adopted by Quebec last November, consumers will be better protected in the event of fraud or “unauthorized transaction” in their bank account. So much the better.
But there are three big caveats to make.
First, the notion of an “unauthorized” transaction remains vague. Will the consumer be protected if they have entrusted their sensitive information to a fraudster?
Second, there is no anticipated effective date for this section of the law.
Finally, even if we are happy that the Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette has taken the lead, we would like Canada to follow in Quebec’s footsteps to prevent federally chartered banks from trying to escape.
Come on, a little political will! Ottawa must do better to protect Canadians from all the fake Brad Pitts in this world.
1. Read the United States Institute of Peace report
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