Beware of Fake Payment Links: Check Before You Click

Online payment scams are becoming increasingly convincing. A fake payment page can look almost identical to a legitimate Interac e-Transfer or banking website, complete with familiar logos, bank selections, reference numbers, and professional-looking graphics.

The example shown above demonstrates an important warning sign: the page may look like Interac, but the website address in the browser is not an official Interac domain. A familiar logo does not prove that a website is legitimate.

Fraudsters may send these links by email, text message, social media, or messaging apps. The message might claim that someone has sent you money and ask you to select your financial institution. The fake page can then attempt to collect your online banking username, password, security answers, or other personal information.

Always Check the Website Address

Before entering any banking information, look carefully at the address bar. Do not rely on the appearance of the page.

If you receive an unexpected payment notification, avoid using the link in the message. Instead, open your bank’s official app or type your bank’s website address yourself and check your account directly.

Other warning signs can include unusual domain names, spelling mistakes, unexpected payments, pressure to act quickly, or requests for information that you normally would not provide when receiving money.

If you have already entered banking credentials into a suspicious page, contact your financial institution immediately, change the affected passwords using the bank’s legitimate website or app, and follow the bank’s fraud-reporting instructions.

Remember: A professional-looking payment page can still be fake. Check the domain before you click, and never enter online banking credentials into a website you don’t trust.

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