Online fraud continues to rise in the province, particularly with regard to identity fraud, a situation of growing concern to Quebecers, according to a recent survey. Interac.
• Read also: “Grandson fraud”: Octogenarian allows suspect to be arrested
Nearly 40% of Quebecers surveyed indicated that they encounter identity fraudsters at least once a week.
Slightly more than one in four Quebecers (28%) has been the target of a fraud attempt that used certain personal data, such as name (65%), address (32%) or date of birth (13%).
“This survey shows us that in order to manage their lives on the web, many people have been forced to take risks that may have made them more vulnerable to cybercriminals trying to get their hands on their online data and then use it to trap other people,” said Rachel Jolicoeur, director, fraud prevention and strategy at Interac Corp.
A large majority of respondents (84%) felt they did not have enough information about how to protect identity data online. In this regard, 91% of Quebec respondents want governments to take action against this type of fraud.
The survey was conducted by Hill+Knowlton Strategies on behalf of Interac Corp. among 1,700 adults residing in Canada in February 2022.