This week we’ve found phishing attempts in which scammers are impersonating the Ontario Court of Justice, Venmo, and the US government. Would you have been able to spot these scams? 

Phishing Scams

Impersonating authorities or trusted brands, scammers attempt to trick you into clicking on phishing links in text messages and emails.

These links will take you to phishing pages designed to steal your PII, such as your Social Security number, login credentials, or credit card details. With all this information, scammers can hack into your account, take your money, and even steal your identity. Below are some examples:

Ontario Court of Justice “Automated Speeding System” Scam

If you see text messages saying that you’ve been speeding in a school area and you must pay the fine before an urgent deadline, calm down for a second and take a closer look. Is the text message legitimate? Recently, many people received such text messages claiming to be from the Ontario Court of Justice; watch out!

• Our automated speeding system has caught your vehicle at 56km/h in a school zone with a speed limit of 30km/h. We highly recommend making the payment before March 21, 2024, to resolve your infraction without needing to appear in court and to prevent accruing excessive3 late fees. Visit http://ontariocourts- setfines-ca[.]com/ to settle the matter.

If you fall for it and proceed, you will be taken to a fake Ontario Court of Justice website where you could end up exposing your PII, including your banking details. Don’t let that happen!

Note: Double-check the web address. The legitimate Ontario Court of Justice website is ontariocourts.ca. Be careful!

Protect Yourself from Scams

The truth is, there are lots of scams and scam sites on the internet and they’re getting even more difficult to detect with common sense alone. However, for an easy and reliable method of detecting and avoiding scam sites, check out Trend Micro ID Protection.         
 
ID Protection can shield you from scams, fake and malware-infected websites, dangerous emails, phishing links, and lots more! If you come across something dangerous online, you’ll be alerted in real time so you’ll know to stay well clear. 

Fake Venmo Invoice

We’ve reported on lots of different Venmo scams before, but the scammers never stop. This time they’ve been sending out fake invoices:

Falsely claiming that you’ve made a purchase via Venmo, they try to trick you into calling the included phone number to cancel the transaction — but it will only be scammers on the other end of the call.

On the phone, the scammers’ goal will be to get you to share detailed personal information or download some “remote control” software so they can control/spy on your cell phone.

6400 Subsidy Scams

We’ve written about scam social media posts about the “6400 subsidy” before, and recently the scam has evolved into phishing texts as well:

• ANNOUNCEMENT: You’ve been awarded a Six Thousand Four Hundred USD subsidy card! Two days to activate: <URL> [Detected by Trend Micro 1,274 times]
• NOTICE: A Six Thousand Four Hundred USD subsidy card <NAME> be yours! Act within two days: <URL> [Detected by Trend Micro 800 times]

The messages have phishing links that lead to phishing pages designed to collect your personal info. In the end, you won’t receive a subsidy, and you could have your PII exposed.

Tips to Stay Safe Online

• Double-check the sender’s mobile number and email address. Even if it seems legitimate, think twice before you take any action.    
• Reach out to the company’s customer service directly for help and support.
• Never click on dubious links or attachments! Stick to official websites and apps.
• If you’ve accidentally revealed your PII somewhere, change your passwords immediately and inform your bank and/or other companies that scammers may contact them pretending to be you. 
• Check if any of your PII has been leaked and secure your social media accounts using Trend Micro ID Protection.   
• Finally, add an extra layer of protection to your devices with Trend Micro Mobile Security. Its Web Threat Protection, Ransomware Protection, Anti-phishing, and Anti-spam Protection will help you combat scams and cyberattacks.  

If you’ve found this article an interesting and/or helpful read, please SHARE it with friends and family to help keep the online community secure and protected. Also, please consider leaving a comment or LIKE below.