RCMP and Canadian Bankers Association remind public to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited e-mail

OTTAWA — Wednesday, September 24, 2003 — The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) would like to remind the public to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited e-mail.

In light of a recent e-mail scam involving e-mails that claim to be sent from some Canadian financial institutions, the RCMP and CBA are collectively reminding the public to be vigilant in protecting personal information such as bank card numbers, Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), account numbers, and passwords.

Internet banking systems remain secure and customers can safely access their banking services on-line. For security reasons, customers should type their institution's official Web site URL directly into their Internet browser, and may wish to bookmark the site for ongoing use. Customers should avoid connecting to on-line banking through a Web site/Internet link contained in any unsolicited e-mail they have received.

If customers have any doubts about the validity of any offers or promotions, they may wish to call the organization to verify the legitimacy of the request. For further information on how to protect your personal information on-line, review the CBA's Security Tips at www.cba.ca. Customers can also access tips on safe computing practices through CBA Member Web sites.

The RCMP and the banks are actively investigating recent complaints in cooperation with national and international partners.

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For more information:
RCMP National Communication Services Directorate
Media Relations Unit
Telephone: (613) 993-2999
Fax: (613) 993-1095