I had a call from a VISA scammer late last week while driving home from work.  (No, I didn’t put my cell phone to my ear while driving which could get me a $500 fine).  It was coming from what appeared to be a Saskatoon 306 number, so I touched the dash screen to answer and said hello.  An automated voice came on and said that VISA’s security department had noticed two transactions on my card that could be fraudulent and they wanted to check with me.   It said press 1 to engage with a live person.  I smelled a rat but thought I’d play along so I pressed 1 and on came a guy reiterating what the automated voice had said.  Now my spidey senses were really on alert and I debated with myself whether to keep playing along knowing soon I’d be asked for my VISA and maybe other banking information.  I thought, ‘Should I play dumb and just rattle off some phony numbers to play with this guy’s mind, or not be bothered stretching this out any longer”.   I chose the latter and told the guy that I would call VISA myself to check on things, at which point he hung up.  Scammers like this abound nowadays trying to prey on people.  They must have some success because 35% of Canadians admit to having fallen victim to what’s termed the Language of Fraud by these fraudsters known as Threat Actors.   I’ve always thought of myself as a trusting person but I’m not naïve and in today’s digital world I’ve learned to be suspicious, especially when it comes to my credit cards and banking.  I don’t believe any text or phone call alluding to these, preferring to personally check with the institution, which I recommend you do as well. 

That’s Coffeetalk.  I’m Vic Dubois.