CITYnews halifax: Over half of Canadians report behaviours that increase fraud vulnerability: survey

CITYnews halifax / By The Canadian Press

A new survey suggests the risk of fraud could be on the rise with nearly one-quarter of respondents saying they or a family member have been the victim of financial fraud or scams in the past year.

The poll, commissioned by TD and conducted by Leger, found 46 per cent of respondents encounter scams or fraud attempts weekly or even daily, and more than half reported behaviours that could make them more vulnerable.

That includes using public Wi-Fi to access personal or financial accounts, opening email attachments from unknown senders, clicking links in texts or emails before verifying the source, and downloading apps or software from unfamiliar sites.

Still, 89 per cent say they feel confident in their ability to spot fraud, an attitude that the bank’s vice-president of fraud management Tarundeep Dhot calls a “double-edged sword.”

Dhot says it’s encouraging that Canadians feel aware of the issue, but overconfidence can lead to quick decisions or overlooked warning signs that scammers exploit.

The survey, which ran from Dec. 18 to Jan. 5, used a nationally representative sample of more than 1,500 Canadian adults and 262 Canadian business owners, with results weighted by age, gender, and region to match the population according to census data.

TD says a probability sample of that size would carry an estimated margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.