Phishing
Learn to recognize the phishing scams cybercriminals use to steal your personal and confidential information.
What is phishing?
Phishing is a type of fraud. It occurs when someone posing as a legitimate financial institution or established company sends fraudulent mass emails or text messages.
Cybercriminals use these messages to try and get you to click on links, images or files that redirect you to a fake website. They use the fake site to steal your information or install malware on your device without you even knowing.
Scammers also adapt these tactics to trick you on social media or over the phone.
How to detect phishing scams
Phishing messages and phone calls are unsolicited. Scammers create a sense of urgency, promise monetary gain or claim there’s a problem to get you to act without thinking and share your information.
Telltale signs of phishing
Urgency
You’re pressed to update your bank account details, pay a tax agency or donate money after a tragic event.
Gain
Someone tells you that you’ve won a trip or prize, or that money has been transferred to your account.
Problem
You’re told there’s an urgent problem with your bank account, your computer’s operating system or a package delivery.
Recognizing a fake website
Scammers try and trick you into visiting “spoofed” or fake sites by using real names and logos. Here are some clues to help you spot a fake site:
- Poor website design and unprofessional image
- Broken links and sloppy spelling
- Hard-to-locate company policies and contact information
- Suspicious requests for information
What to do if you suspect a phishing attempt
Stop and take a moment to look at the message. Don’t click any links or open any images or attachments. Don’t reply to the sender, as this confirms to them that your email is valid.
3 things to check
Email address
Do you recognize the sender’s email address? Does it look legitimate? Take a close look at the part after the at sign (@). Is it a personal or company address?
Link
Inspect the link to determine if it really leads to a legitimate business website. Pay close attention, as scammers often change just one letter in the hopes of slipping under your radar.
- To inspect a link on your computer, hover your cursor over it without clicking.
- On a mobile device, press the link for a few seconds until a pop-up window showing you the full link opens.
Text
Ask yourself if there’s good reason or logic behind the request to act quickly. Was it something you expected? If you have any suspicions, use an official number to contact your financial institution or the organization in question. Never call a number included in a suspicious message.
Reporting a fraudulent Desjardins email or text message
- Forward the email or text message to protection@desjardins.com so we can inspect it. We’ll send you an automated response, but there will be no further follow-up. To forward us a text message, follow your mobile service provider’s reporting procedure for fraudulent texts.
- Delete the fraudulent email or text message.
How to protect against phishing scams
Be extra careful online to protect your information from phishing attempts.
3 good habits
Think twice before you click
Take a close look at any messages you get, especially unsolicited ones.
Stay informed
Make sure you know about the latest online scams.
Protect your devices
Install antivirus software and a firewall to protect against threats, and update them as required.
Improved security when logging in
Two-step verification when you log in adds an extra layer of security to keep cybercriminals out.
What to do if you’ve clicked on a suspicious link or attachment
- If you did not provide any personal or confidential information, report the phishing message. Make sure your device is virus-free, change all your passwords and keep tabs on your banking activities.
- If you gave out personal or confidential information, report the phishing message, then immediately contact our security team and the authorities.
Who to contact if you’re a victim of phishing
Our security team
Montreal area:
Elsewhere in Canada and the US:
Elsewhere in the world (collect call):
Credit bureaus
If you think your identity has been stolen, contact the credit bureaus to have a fraud alert added to your file.
Equifax®:
TransUnion™:
FAQ
What’s the difference between phishing and spear phishing?
Phishing involves sending fraudulent messages to a large group of people. Spear phishing, on the other hand, targets a specific individual or group. Employees of large companies or government agencies are common targets. Scammers send personalized messages to trick targets into giving out sensitive information about their organization, which the scammers use to hack into the organization’s network.
Does Desjardins send emails or text messages?
Yes. We email you for a variety of reasons, including to send you promotions, customer satisfaction surveys and facts about your accounts. We also send security alerts by text message to confirm your identity in the event of a suspicious login or an unusual transaction on your credit card.
However, we never ask you to reply to these messages with your login credentials, passwords, social insurance number or other personal or confidential information. And we never ask you to go to AccèsD or other websites where you have to log in or enter your information.
Could I end up on a fake website even if I don’t click a link in an email or text message?
Yes. As part of their phishing scams, scammers create fake websites, which sometimes appear in search engine results.
If a phony Desjardins website is created, we take immediate action, but it may take a few minutes or a few hours before the authorities and internet service providers can take it down. To be safe, always type www.desjardins.com in the address bar on your browser to access the Desjardins website.
I got an email or text message saying that my AccèsD account is about to expire. Is it legitimate?
No. Your AccèsD account doesn’t expire. You’re the only one who can decide to close your account or stop using the service.
Other ways to fight fraud
Types of fraud and scams
Learn how to recognize different kinds of scams so you can avoid them.
Security alerts
Set up alerts to be notified if we detect a suspicious login to your AccèsD account or an unusual transaction on your credit card.