Canadian businesses are being reminded to stay alert as scammers increasingly exploit familiar headlines to make fraud look legitimate. A recent example involves text messages claiming recipients are eligible for a “milk settlement,” despite no such class action existing. These messages typically include a link urging users to provide personal or financial information. While they may appear credible at first glance, often borrowing government-style branding or references to real past settlements, they are designed to harvest sensitive data.
What makes these scams particularly dangerous is how convincing they’ve become. Many Canadians have received real class action payouts in recent years, making unexpected settlement messages feel plausible. Cybersecurity experts warn that attackers now rely on large databases of stolen phone numbers and emails to send mass messages that appear personalized and timely. Once a link is clicked, victims are often directed to polished but fake websites that request credit card or banking details, something legitimate settlement administrators will never ask for via unsolicited texts or emails.
For businesses, the risk goes beyond individual losses. A single employee clicking the wrong link can expose company systems, credentials, or financial information. Prevention remains the strongest defence. Employees should be trained to avoid clicking settlement or payment links, verify claims by independently searching for official lawsuit information, and report suspicious messages immediately. With online fraud costing Canadians billions in recent years and recovery rates extremely low, vigilance, education, and strong security practices are no longer optional, they’re essential.
Original article courtesy of CTVNEWS.CA
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