Increase in Delivery Scams during Canada Post Strike and Holiday Shopping Rush

Canadians are grappling with a surge in scams as criminals capitalize on the Canada Post strike to defraud unsuspecting victims of their money.

According to Octavia Howell, the chief information security officer at Equifax Canada, there has been a significant increase in fraud attempts in recent weeks, including phishing emails and deepfake phone calls.

Howell explained in an interview that major events like the Canada Post strike and the holiday season often lead to a rise in scams related to parcels and deliveries, especially with the current confusion caused by the work stoppage.

While specific figures on the latest scams are not yet available from Equifax Canada, the credit bureau’s internal updates have shown a noticeable uptick in fraudulent activities.

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Equifax Canada’s investigations team has observed a significant increase in reports, with up to 87 fraud attempts coming from the same IP addresses in a single day, as opposed to the usual half-dozen daily reports during previous spikes.

Howell described the trend as “insidious,” noting the exponential growth in scam activities during the holidays and the disruption in shipments caused by the Canada Post strike.

With mail carriers walking off the job on Nov. 15, Canada Post has emphasized that they never contact users regarding deliveries via text or email unless requested.

The Crown corporation has advised Canadians to stay alert for signs of phishing scams, such as grammatical errors, inconsistencies in imagery related to Canada Post, or tracking numbers that do not match the standard format.