Phishing Scams

“Phishing” is a type of identity theft where criminals use email to try to bait you into fake websites. Once there, you are asked to disclose confidential financial and personal information, like passwords, credit card numbers, Access Codes, or your National Identification card number. The most familiar type of phishing scam is an email threatening serious consequences if you do not log in and take action immediately.

Never respond to emails, open attachments, or click on suspicious links from unknown senders or even reputable institutions that ask for personal or financial information.

Always remember that Scotiabank will never send you unsolicited emails asking for confidential information, such as your password, PIN, Access Code, credit card, and account numbers. We will never ask you to validate or restore your account access through email or pop-up windows.

If you have entered personal information after clicking on a link or suspect fraudulent behaviour, please fill our our customer declaration form and contact your branch or contact us immediately.

Some emails look authentic, featuring corporate logos and layouts similar to the ones used by institutions for legitimate communication. Because these emails can look so official, unsuspecting recipients may reply to them, resulting in financial losses, identity theft, and other fraudulent activity.

You should never respond to or action any email that:

• Requires you to enter personal information directly into the email or submit that information online


• Threatens to close or suspend your accounts if you do not provide or verify personal information


• Claims that your account has been compromised or that there has been fraudulent activity on your account and requests you to enter, validate, or verify your account information


• States that there are unauthorised charges on your account and requests your account information


• Claims that the bank has lost important security information and needs you to update your information online


• Asks you to enter your card number, password, Access Code, or account numbers into an email, pop-up window, form or non-secure webpage


• Asks you to confirm, validate, verify, or refresh your account, credit card, or financial information

• Be suspicious of all unsolicited or unexpected emails you receive, even if they appear to originate from a trusted source like Scotiabank.


• Never click on a link in an email or pop-up window to go to a site. Type, or cut and paste, the URL into a new Web browser window.


• Type in the Scotiabank Web address yourself to ensure you are transacting with our server. You can also bookmark the URL to save time.


• Never call a number appearing on an email you suspect is fraudulent. In a new twist, phishing scams use a phony telephone number in the email. When you call, a person or an automated response asks for your personal and/or account information.


• If you do have a relationship with the company mentioned in the email, call the company on the telephone using a reputable source like your statement or the phonebook for the phone number.


• Stay current. Read and follow Safe Computing Practices on a regular basis.

If you have received a fraudulent email, please forward it to phishing@scotiabank.com. Please do not remove the original subject line, or change the email in any way when you forward it to us. If you have entered personal information after clicking on a link or suspect fraudulent behaviour, please contact us immediately.