Police warn of email scam using benefits, compensation messaging
Police in Kingston, Ont. are warning the public about a new email phishing scam that uses employee benefits enrolments and annual pay raises as bait.
Posing as representatives from company human resources departments, the scammers are sending emails about topics such as employee benefits surveys and salary increases. The emails include dangerous attachments or links that bring people to fake login pages where their credentials could be stolen.
Read: Toronto hospital dismisses 150 staff for alleged benefits fraud
“The scammers know that annual pay raises and employee benefits enrolments often happen at the end of the year, or at the beginning of a new year,” the Kingston police said in a news release. “That’s why they take this time to send phishing emails related to these types of communication.”
Police are asking anyone who receives emails about employee benefits or pay raises not to click on links or open attachments, and to instead call their HR departments to confirm the message’s legitimacy.