March is Fraud Prevention Month, and Terranova Security wants to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of raising awareness on information security best practices.
Let’s stop online fraud in its tracks.
As security professionals focused on Information Security Awareness (ISA), much of what we do is fraud prevention. Our aims and actions have a direct link to Fraud Prevention Month, since much of today’s fraudulent activity occurs online through digital technologies.
This month’s fraud awareness marathon helps shine a brighter light on what we do. It lets us pass the torch of fraud prevention to the people around us. Whether you already deploy an ISA program within your organization, or have just started planning one, devote the next 31 days to sharing your knowledge.
How to Start the Conversation
The best way to encourage fraud prevention is through best practices. Inform your colleagues about information security essentials, like creating strong passwords, updating software, and recognizing phishing attempts. Make sure you include new employees in the conversation. Hang posters, send emails, and host workshops on fraud awareness topics. Hold an office quiz to reinforce the message.
This year, Fraud Prevention Month is celebrating its 19th edition. Several federal agencies are leading the initiative, including the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Canada’s Competition Bureau. The aim is to spread awareness about fraud techniques, such as impersonation scams and data theft, and to teach people to “recognize, reject, and report fraud.”
As Deputy Commissioner Josephine Palumbo, of Canada’s Competition Bureau, stressed in a previous campaign,
“Consumers and businesses play a crucial role in the fight against fraud. By recognizing scams and reporting them, they can protect themselves and assist the Bureau and its partners in stopping fraud.”
Many Canadian businesses and financial services organizations are taking part in this year’s campaign alongside government representatives.
In support of this year’s Fraud Prevention Month, Terranova is encouraging organizations to play an active role in fraud prevention by initiating discussions with employees on how to prevent and detect fraud online. As fraud scams are often changing, it’s a great opportunity to address trends and update your colleagues on phishing, CEO fraud, malware detection, and social engineering.
These exercises are excellent for reinforcing the lessons learned in ISA programs already in place. They’re also an excellent way to strengthen employee security awareness until a comprehensive ISA program is set up.
With so many organizations involved, your employees are likely to encounter security discussions beyond the workplace. That reinforcement spreads fraud prevention even further. Your employees may even pass on lessons to their friends and families. The takeaways that emerge in those spaces will last.
The best case scenario? You’ll inspire some employees to become #CyberHeroes and take the fraud awareness message to more people.
Need help engaging your users for Fraud Prevention Month? Here's a free phishing simulation you can try with them.