Increasing Spam Texts Becoming a Growing Issue in Canada, According to Statistics
Every day, Digvijay Kosamia checks his vibrating cellphone for the latest text message, only to be frustrated by unknown numbers.
Sometimes, it’s a notification from Canada Post about a package he didn’t order.
Other times, the message claims a major bank has frozen his card, with the first four digits of the account provided, urging him to follow a suspicious URL to unlock it.
“I haven’t fallen for it,” says the tech-savvy Vancouverite. “But I worry about my family falling victim to it.”
Mr. Kosamia’s experience of receiving 15 to 20 spam texts a week is not uncommon in Canada, where many are bombarded with fraudulent texts.
Monitoring organizations report an increase in phishing messages, where scammers try to deceive recipients into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive information.
Mr. Kosamia notes that while calls have reduced, spam messages have increased.
A growing issue
Last year, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received 5,395 reports of fraudulent text messages, resulting in losses of nearly $24 million.
However, these numbers are likely just a fraction of the actual incidents, as only a small percentage of victims report fraud.
Automated scams targeting everyone are on the rise, according to the centre.
