Over the last decade the level of creativity applied by scammers to loot the public has always managed to baffle the authorities. Regardless of the steps taken by government and dedicated institutions, the scams are becoming something which just can’t be eradicated. Fortunately, the damages can be nullified by educating the people about the way things work.
Today, we are going to take a look at new hustle gaining traction in Canada called the Social Insurance Number Scam. Criminals operating this venture make money by selling the information of the victims and also use their personal details to commit identity theft which will affect the credit score of the innocent users severely. Over the last couple of weeks, the number of people falling for this trick is increasing exponentially.
So, to tackle these types of attacks, learn their real agendas and the ways of recognising them at the earliest, continue reading the detailed guide.
What are Social Insurance Number Scam Calls?
In Canada, a group of crooks are calling the people and are pushing them towards revealing the information about their social insurance numbers by using shady tactics and narratives, the name given for this hustle is Social Insurance Number Scam calls.
The scammers pretend to be someone who is working for the government agencies and they try to sweet talk a person into giving up their confidential information. For any reason, if they can’t get the information they need, the crooks will intimidate the people and claim to arrest them if they fail to give answers to all their questions.
Regardless of how tense the situation gets, if you get a call by them remember not to give them any details as it is almost impossible to get a new insurance number. Identity theft is a serious offence and it will make the victim’s credit score bleed and it carries a lot of consequences for all the parties involved. Just to be on the safer side, always verify the information you see through third party sources and never share any personal details online.
Intention of the Crooks
The intention of the crooks behind this scam is still unclear, but as of now, we have noticed certain patterns emerge. Once the criminals have access to your Social Insurance Number, they can easily know all about your activities with just a click. So far, the culprits seem to be interested in the credit profiles of the victims they are targeting.
Once the information is compromised, they might grab the tax credits, take out loans by submitting details they have gained through the hustle. The number of things which can go wrong as soon as the sensitive information is at risk is immeasurable. So, exercise utmost caution and never rush into reaching a decision.
From the data we have come across, the numbers used by the crooks start from 1800 and sometimes they are even known to employ toll free numbers. Due to the technological limitation, the law agencies aren’t able to capture them yet. Nonetheless, people should never let their guard down or else the chances of losing things more precious than money arises.
Why is Social Insurance Number important?
Social Insurance Number is the mechanism used by the Canadian government to identify and gather all the details of the respective citizens. From your location details to every other parameters you can think of can be monitored by the insurance number. While it is possible to get a new insurance number in case you compromised the details, the process of applying for a new one is going to be a tedious one.
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Note that new ones will be issued only if the person can prove that he or she has been affected by identity theft. Even if the new number is issued, individuals should manually update all their records or else it will affect them in a negative manner. All in all, due to the mechanism built by the government, insurance number is something which has become invincible and as such you should never dare to take chances with it.
Steps to Ensure Safety
As the online world is becoming more notorious, users should take every step needed to secure their data. For best experience always follow the basic rules listed below.
Don’t take Calls from Unknown Numbers – Most scammers always call from numbers which seems to be routed from suspicious third world countries. We are not saying that calls from other regions will always be genuine, but generally speaking, the majority of scam calls, messages or automated forms of messages do emerge from regions like Russia and Uzbekistan.
For any reason if you have to pick up the call from an unknown number, then interact with the person on the other side cautiously. If they ask for your personal details, then cut the call immediately and contact the concerned officials.
Verify the sources and Report – Whenever you feel like you are being badgered into giving up certain information, always make a note of the details of the person on the other end. Ask them questions regarding their designation, ID number, etc,.
While in most cases they give bogus information, it does help the experts in noticing certain patterns which will help them track the culprits. Lastly, don’t forget to alert all the authorities as soon as you encounter a scam call. The earlier you report an incident, the easier it will be for the officials to catch the criminals.
Official Sources and Support
To help people combat the web of online scams, the government organisations are doing their best. If you believe you have been scammed, then get in touch with the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre immediately by calling them at 1-888-495-8501. Alternatively, you can visit their official website or use the following details to reach them.
Website – https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
Mobile – 902-222-0154
Email – lisa.croteau@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Verdict
Social Insurance Number scam calls are becoming a nightmare for the authorities. In a short period of time, they have caused immense damage and it will take a lot of time for the victims to recover both financially and emotionally. If you have lost money to this hustle, then reach out to us with the details and we will try our best to help you. Also, don’t forget to share this post with your loved ones.
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