Epost Scam – Phishing Emails and Texts

The Internet is evolving at a phenomenal scale and every day, the kind of opportunities present are immense to say the least. Unfortunately, even the crooks are getting smarter and they are constantly finding new ways to rig the system and take advantage of the loopholes present. Epost Scam is the most recent incident wherein the crooks were conducting mass scale phishing attacks.

Thanks to the woke public, the incident was brought to limelight quickly and even the concerned authorities took appropriate actions. This scam mainly targeted Canadians and according to online sources, this hustle has been eradicated.

Note that due to the way the online mechanics work, no one can eradicate plagues like phishing attacks and that’s the hard core reality. Epost is actually a legitimate wing of the Canadian postal system.

Sadly, the crooks just used the name of this organization and tarnished it to a whole new level. Read the following paragraphs to know how this scam works, the kind of gimmicks they use and their ultimate goal.

In case you suffered any financial damage due to this hustle, then leave a comment below and we will help you get started with the recovery process. 

What is an Epost Scam?

Epost Scam is the name given to a hustle wherein a group of cyber criminals started phishing attacks specifically targeting the Canadians. The exact theory regarding how the crooks acquired the email address is still vastly unknown.

However, the attack was brutal and it created a buzz that lasted for a long time on the internet. Thanks to the advent of the internet and communication technology, this event caught the attention of both the public and the authorities before it was too late.

The Canadian law enforcement authorities took action early on and it led to a positive outcome. Though the threat has been neutralised, we need to realise that this won’t be the last phishing attack and as such, it does pay to be prepared for the next one.

As a rule of thumb, never share your confidential details with unknown email addresses. Also, check for the spelling errors in the text. Keep in mind that legitimate organisations also make a typing error sometimes.

However, in most cases they will rectify the mistakes and do follow up messages quickly. On the flip side, fraudulent firms do not care about image and their only goal is to force you into giving up your data. 

Target Audience

In general, most types of online scams and cyber crimes are aimed at western hemisphere. The high concentration of wealth and relatively easy barriers are the main reason behind that. Not to mention, there the citizens have higher per capita income which makes them the perfect targets for the scammers to go after.

Of course, the literacy rate is high, but the data clearly suggests that the vast majority are extremely vulnerable to attacks and the trend does not look like it is over yet. On the bright side, the government authorities take action quickly and they do massive campaigns to raise awareness about these kinds of incidents.

The main issue is, as always criminals will know their way around every loophole and it does take a lot of time to make the online space completely safe. Epost Scam is mainly after the residents of Canada.

All of the messages sent by the people behind this scam contain phishing links. While we do not know their exact intentions, we can guarantee you that it won’t benefit anyone apart from the masterminds behind the attack. 

Narrative behind Epost Scam?

Epost Scam asks for too much personal information. The genuine authorities would never operate in that manner. Whenever you are not sure whether you are dealing with official websites or not, look for obvious signs. Start by checking for the spelling of the URL and make sure that there is a SSL layer.

Keep in mind that government entities never ask for your pin number, social security number or other kind of important information via text or call. The Canadaian postal service sends notice to the people by sending notices to their address itself.

So, if any third party is asking for the sensitive information, then do not hesitate to report them to the local cyber security units immediately. Though police might not investigate every case, they will slowly collect data and eventually, that will help them notice the patterns used by the scammers. 

What do the scammers want?

Scammers behind phishing attacks want only one thing which is the victim’s personal data. Once they have successfully received every bit of information they want, they can use it to cause havoc whenever and where they want. From creating fake ids to committing financial frauds, the number of things they could use the data for is endless.

If they use the data purely for financial fraud, then even if the culprits are caught, the damage done to the credit score might be devastating and it may take a long time to restore it. In case you are not sure whether you have lost your data or not, then take professional help.

Alternatively, you can also change your credit card and associated things and request for new ones. Most banks never charge if you ask for new debit or credit cards and even if they do, the cost is going to be miniscule. After all, you cannot compromise on safety, right?

Public Reaction on Epost Scam

The internet is a game changer in many ways. Undeniably, the positive effects are present and it prevents disaster too. From the inception of this phishing attack, the comments and mentions it got on social media platforms increased exponentially.

Thanks to the traffic spike and the kind of attention it received, all the authorities became alert and they published statements to provide clarity on the situation. The Canadian postal service made it clear that they will never ask for banking information over email and added that they deliver notices to the doorstep only.

Along with the reaction from institutions, many blogs and notable press sites covered the issue and raised awareness about the hustle which saved boat loads of people. As the combined efforts made by people at the top worked miraculously well, the crooks couldn’t get much traction. 

Stay Safe

As we have explained the nature of the Epost Scam, it is clear that phishing attacks are the ones to watch out for. Below are a few guidelines which you need to follow to keep yourself safe online. Remember, there is no hard and fast rule to surf the web safely and in most cases, using common sense will work out in your favour. 

Checking the Source

Regardless of whether you receive a good news or bad one, always check for the origin of the emails. Do not just look at the name, but note down the domain information and run it through Whois search. If you can trace the details of the owners and whereabouts, then most likely it is a legitimate one.

However, if you run into a dead end, then you need to be careful. The domains that use black hat ways usually will be blacklisted by browsers and other search engines. So, running a check is always better and it does not take much time. 

If in doubt, stay out

We understand that the internet can be overwhelming sometimes. Things might look squeaky clean, but might pose a serious threat than you can ever imagine. Alternatively, the kind of domain or origin you received the email from might be a brand new one. In this kind of scenario, it is hard to pick dirt on them and it might make you sit on the fence.

If you encounter any situation like that, then reach out to the official authorities and ask them whether it is from them or not. In case you are unable to reach out, then do not take chances with the suspicious emails. Ignorance can be a bliss sometimes and waiting might frustrate you, but it is certainly worth it. 

Notice the Pattern

If a reputable organisation or brand sends you an email, they will never ever make any of their clients spit out their bank account information. They uphold high standards and will never compromise on moral and ethical values. If any big brand is conducting promotions, then apart from a confirmation, they won’t ask for anything else.

If any entity pops up in your inbox and promises you unrealistic rewards and asks for personal information such as account numbers and pin codes, then it is a red flag and you should take action immediately. Notify the police immediately and they will do everything in their power to put an end to it. 

Spelling mistakes and Grammatical errors

As we are in this sector of exposing scams for ages, we have literally seen everything. As time evolves, things change, but the patterns remain the same. One of the easiest ways of detecting fraud emails is by looking at the content. Companies that are committed to their goals spend hours drafting the emails and letters.

Moreover, the same content goes through a lot of desks and they are thoroughly edited. Mistakes do happen, but they won’t be significant and usually will be rectified within hours. By any chance if the email you have received contains a lot of typing errors and grammatical mistakes, then something is surely happening behind the scenes.

As an end user it is your duty to not click on any link sent by the other party and for your own benefit, delete the message immediately. Sometimes the spam bots will keep on sending you the same emails over and over again.

Unfortunately, there is no immediate fix to this problem. However, if you start reporting the incident to your email provider, then they will act on it pretty quickly. No system is perfect, but with more data everyone can detect irregularities early on and it will help the authorities a lot as well. 

Epost Scam Review Conclusion

Epost Scam came and fled the attention of the public relatively quickly. Thankfully, no severe damage was done. Consider this incident as a reminder and do everything you can on your end to ensure safe browsing. If you ever need help or have any question in particular, then leave a comment on our blog and we will get back to you as soon as possible. 

Fortunately, the Epost Scam was exposed in time and no serious damage was reported. Share your views by leaving a comment below.