Tips in Protecting Yourself, Your Education, Your Money:

• Agencies will not call and threaten to arrest/deport or harm you via phone, email or automated message.
• For international students or students traveling abroad, if in doubt about the claim, contact the local embassy or consulate.
• Legitimate business/government agencies will not ask for gift cards as methods of payment.
• Do not give out your credit card numbers or personal information unless you trust the person or initiated the call yourself. Reputable business and government agencies will never ask for personal information without significant safeguards in place, you have the right to ask why this information is needed. Trust your instinct/feeling, walk away or hang the phone up.
• Do not click on links or respond to suspicious emails/text messages. If in doubt, located the phone number from a legitimate source such as the business website and call them and inquire.
• Monitor your financial accounts and transactions.
• When providing credit card information online ensure the site is secure. Look for the HTTPS or green highlighted area in the address bar.
• Refrain from using the same passwords for multiple websites, banks, email addresses etc.

If you become the victim:

• Report the incident to your local police department.
• Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501) if the matter involved a scam or fraud.
• Advise your bank and credit card companies. Request new cards with new numbers on them.
• Report any government and other documentation to the appropriate organization.
• If on-campus; call Brock University Campus Safety Services at 905 688 5550 1, 3200 or email security@brocku.ca