Posted on Friday June 14, 2024

Bank fraud: the suspicious questions UNI will never ask you 

Scammers are remarkably resourceful when it comes to bypassing the security mechanisms you think you have in place to protect yourself. Fraudsters who spare no one regularly pose as employees of financial institutions, government departments and private companies. 

For this article, we've enlisted the help of Sandra Paulin, External Fraud Investigative Analyst, and Sophie Doiron, Financial Crime Coordinator, to help you recognize the main scam scenarios. Don't fall into the trap! 

Anyone can be a target for fraud 

The “grandparent” scam is on a roll, as is bank fraud. But make no mistake! Young and old fall victim to fraud every year. In the course of their careers, our two experts have even seen lawyers and police officers - professions that sharpen reflexes - fall victim to phishing.  

Whether your bank account is well-funded or not, a fraudster can target you, and once they have access to your account, it can be used to their advantage. "For example, they may ask for a cash advance or proceed with the mobile deposit of a fake cheque," explains Sophie Doiron.  

Signs to look out for to recognize fake employees 

First of all, you need to be vigilant when you receive a call from UNI, and not the other way around. For example, if you call UNI, the person on the other end may ask you questions to identify yourself, such as the date and amount of your last transaction. You may also be sent a code to submit. No need to be surprised. 

"When you dial UNI’s number, you know you're calling the right place and that you can trust the person on the other end," explains Sandra Paulin. On the other hand, if someone claiming to work for UNI calls you and asks you suspicious questions, beware! 

They have information about your account. Does this mean it’s definitely an employee? FALSE! 

Ms. Paulin explains how a scammer posing as a UNI employee makes a fraudulent call: "They inform you of suspicious activity in your account and ask, for example, if you've made a $200 transaction in Toronto." You start stressing out, believing you've been the victim of fraud. In reality, no fraudulent transaction has been made in Toronto, but a fraud is well and truly being committed, in real time.  

Once they have your undivided attention, the fake employee asks you to confirm your credit card number: "Can you give me the last digits of your card's number starting with 5253 7260?" Beware of this question, as of all those that imply that the fraudster already has your personal information!  

"The numbers it gives you are the generic number that identifies the financial institution. All UNI card numbers begin with these same numbers," explains Ms. Doiron. In reality, the scammer only knows your name and telephone number; they don’t have your card number (yet). Don't give it to them! 

The name UNI appears on my caller ID display. Does the call have to come from my bank? NOT NECESSARILY! 

Impersonation attacks are frauds in which a person or program succeeds in identifying itself as one or another through the falsification of data. "You can't trust your caller ID display," says Ms. Paulin. 
 
If you weren't expecting a call from UNI, hang up, wait 10 minutes and call your bank, ideally from another telephone. Why wait 10 minutes? Because the fraudster might stay on the line and pretend to answer on behalf of UNI.  

What UNI will never ask you on the telephone 

And you'll never be asked not to tell other people about the call! 

Text, e-mail and browser fraud 

Did you receive a text message with a hyperlink to reactivate your account? Don't click on it! If you click and then enter your account number on the page to which the link refers, you'll be giving all your information to the fraudster on a silver platter! 

While UNI may send you notifications, it will never send you a hyperlink via text message. The same practices and precautions apply to e-mail. Do you receive a message signed by your advisor? A fraudster may have hijacked their address to send fraudulent e-mails to their entire contact list. Call your branch before disclosing any sensitive information. 

Ms. Paulin also warns all UNI members and clients against copycat pages: "Don't click on the Google search results to access the UNI login page, as you could end up on a fake page. The best way to know you're in the right place is to enter uni.ca directly into your browser.  
As a reminder, it's also not a good idea to allow your computer to store your logins and passwords. "If someone breaks into your computer, they'll have access to your account." It's better to enter your data manually.  

Avoid fraud by outsmarting the fraudsters! 

Out of concern for the security of its members and clients, UNI has replaced all its bank cards as part of an overall digital transformation. The identifier for logging in is no longer your card number.  
 
What's more, you can now add two-step verification to your account access process. For maximum security, remember to change your password regularly. With all these strategies, you'll be the one who fools the fraudsters! 

In short, a call that comes out of nowhere is suspect. "Trust your instincts," says Ms. Doiron. "As soon as you're in doubt, hang up, find a UNI number on your own to call us back, or visit a branch."  

Intervening quickly limits the consequences of bank fraud. Contact us to share your concerns!