• Identity theft, also known as identity fraud, is a crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personally identifiable information, such as Social Insurance Number or driver's license, in order to impersonate someone else.

  • ​A keylogger or keystroke logger is a type of software that tracks or logs the keys struck on your keyboard, typically in a covert manner so that you don’t know that your actions are being monitored.

  • In Canada, mail and wire fraud include “any false, deceptive, misleading or fraudulent act carried out with the use of mail, either through the postal or private mail carrier service” (Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre)
  • Software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems.

  • ​A password manager application supports centralized secure storage of passwords and helps manage using unique passwords across each site.

  • The fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to get individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

  • A type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid.

  • Spying on the user of an ATM, computer, or other electronic device in order to obtain their personal access information.

  • ​The use of deception to manipulate someone into giving away confidential or personal information that may be used for fraud.

  • Software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another’s computer activities by transmitting data.

  • ​Making phone calls or leaving voice messages supposedly from reputable companies in order to get people to reveal their personal information, such as bank details and credit card numbers.

  • ​A VPN creates a virtual encrypted tunnel between you and a remote server operated by a VPN service. All external Internet traffic is routed through this tunnel, so your data is secure from prying eyes. Use of a VPN computer also gives you the appearance of having an IP address of the VPN server, masking your identity.

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