One in Three Canadians Targeted by Scam Texts in Just Three Months, Equifax Canada Survey Finds

Core Insights - Canadians are increasingly vulnerable to scams, with one in three reporting fraudulent job or CRA-related texts in the past three months [1][9] - The Equifax Cybersecurity Survey indicates a significant preparedness gap, with many Canadians unsure of how to respond to identity theft or scams [2][4] - A growing concern exists regarding the protection of children from online threats, with 82% of Canadians worried about their children being taken advantage of online [7] Survey Findings - Nearly two-thirds of Canadians would contact the police if their identity was stolen, while 79% would reach out to their bank [2] - 13% of respondents admitted to clicking on a fraudulent link, and 6% reported having their identity stolen [3][9] - The survey shows that 97% of Canadians believe protecting themselves online is important, and 93% feel the same about protecting their families [4] Evolving Threat Landscape - The perception of vulnerability to identity theft has increased from 53% in 2015 to 81% in 2023 [6] - Scams are perceived as immediate and personal, arriving through familiar channels such as text, email, and social media [4][6] - 31% of Canadians received fraudulent job texts and 29% received CRA or banking scam texts in the last three months [9] Desired Protections - 31% of Canadians feel they need to do more to protect themselves online, with secure VPNs, anti-virus software, and password managers being the most cited tools [10] - Equifax emphasizes the importance of education and awareness in combating fraud, offering resources for monitoring credit and protecting identity [6][10]