Greg shares tips for identifying the spam messages that might be sent to your mobile device in this episode of Ask The Expert. 800 CHAB radio presents Ask the Expert with Greg Marcyniuk of Heritage Insurance located in Moose Jaw.
Here's a full transcript of the episode.
Rob Carnie: So, take a look at your mobile phone. What do you have on there? You've got your email. You've got your banking information, maybe. You've got your Facebook, your Twitter, your Instagram, perhaps you've got Teams, perhaps you've got Zoom, perhaps you've got the TikTok. You've got a whole lot of things going on on your mobile device. And you've got a whole lot of personal information on your mobile device. Do you know how to protect that information? Greg Marcyniuk, Heritage Insurance on Ask The Expert is here to help us out with that today. Thanks for this, Greg.
Greg Marcyniuk: Not a problem, Rob. But, in fact, I just pulled up the statistic this morning on our own website. We have actually 56.8% of our users were utilizing their mobile device to come into our website. So, I wanted to stick with spam from legitimate emails, texts, and social medias, and also what to do if you do receive any spam and how to keep it off your phone. So, because you've got your personal data and, as well, a lot of people are utilizing it for credit cards as far as even your direct debit.
So, what is spam? The simplest definition of spam is unsolicited email, unsolicited text messages, and as well, software.
So, if you're worried about spam, first and foremost, have you ever done business with the organization that sent the text and then provided you with their email address or their text number? And as well, if there's no unsubscribe option, either via text or on email on your phone, then this is a violation of CASL, which is the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation, even if it is sent by a legitimate company. And that's a site I would also recommend, and you'll be able to get this downloaded on our website later. (More information on CASL is here.) The sender doesn't properly identify themselves or provide current information or contact information.
And the message also, if it asks for sensitive information - no bank or any sort of company is ever going to ask you for personal or financial information. As well, if they impersonate people or companies you know, if they come out and they sound somewhat unfamiliar, you want to watch for these lists of what I've got as far as warning signs. As well, if it contains any spelling and grammar mistakes - real companies, they usually get the time to get it right.
Also, if they use scare tactics - for example, "Your account will be deleted, if you don't respond," it's probably spam. As well, if they ask for money in advance, check with the person if it's coming from a friend for an emergency, make sure that it actually is them that do need the money. And another big one is if it sounds too good to be true as far as giving you prize money, typically these are spam.
So, if you think you've received spam, don't respond to it. Don't open any attached files. Don't click any buttons to open any web pages. And again, report this to the government of Canada. They actually have an account.
One of the things that you should never do if you do receive a spam text, don't type in "Stop" or "Unsubscribe." Basically, what you're saying is yes, this phone belongs to someone, and that's great news for these thieves. It lets them know that you're a real person and they should target you more often. So, if you think you're putting an end to this stuff, it's just gonna make it worse.
Rob: For more information on protecting yourself from thieves and spam with your mobile device, check out the Heritage Insurance website or call Greg Marcyniuk at Heritage Insurance anytime, (306) 693-7640, or drop into Heritage Insurance at the corner of First Avenue Northwest and Fairford in downtown Moose Jaw. We'll have more on protecting your privacy and your mobile device on our next episode of Ask The Expert, with Greg Marcyniuk at Heritage Insurance.
(Video transcription by Speechpad)