Protect yourself from online scams
Cybercriminals are using increasingly sophisticated means to trick their victims into handing over personal information. But there are warning signs to look out for, and steps you can take, to help protect both your personal data and your money.
Spot the scams
Cybercriminals use a variety of channels to target their victims, so it’s important to be vigilant whenever you see any communications that look like they’re from EQ Bank when you are outside of the EQ Bank app or secure desktop site. Be wary of:
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Requests for personal info or one-time passcodes via email or text message
This could include passwords, one-time codes, account numbers, your SIN or PIN, tax identification numbers, or other personal information. Note: EQ Bank Customer Care representatives may request one-time codes via the chat function on our secure login site.
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Messages using threatening language or urgent requests
People are more likely to act irrationally when they feel under pressure. Scammers will use this to their advantage and threaten account closure or loss of access if you don’t act quickly.
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Ads with an off-brand profile promoting unusually high interest rates
Always check who posted the ad before clicking, and if a rate or promotion seems too good to be true , check our Rates Page for the most accurate and up-to-date interest rates.
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Unanticipated email attachments or unsecure links
If you’re not sure whether a communication has come from us, it’s best to avoid opening attachments or clicking links.
EQ Bank won’t ever:
- Ask you to log in to your account via a 3rd party site or social media platform.
- Ask you to send secure personal information via email.
- Pressure you to do something, especially within a short period of time.
Ultimately, trust your instinct—if you receive an email or see an ad and something about it seems suspicious, do not engage with it further. Our Customer Care team can help determine whether an email or ad is legitimate. You can reach them via phone at 1-844-437-2265 (1-844-4EQ-BANK).
Stay safe with these top tips
- Only log in to your account via secure channels.
- Use the EQ Bank mobile app or the secure desktop site to log in (secure.eqbank.ca).
- Check the website URL in the address bar of the browser.
- This should start with https://, not http://. Remember: s = secure.
- Check that you are interacting with official channels before clicking on links or sharing personal information.
- On social media channels, the advertiser profile will be EQ Bank or Banque EQ, not any other variation of this (such as EQ Marketing, EQ Team, or Equitable Team, etc.).
- Official emails will only come from addresses ending in “eqbank.ca” (e.g. contact@eqbank.ca, alert@eqbank.ca, or reply@marketing.eqbank.ca).
What to do if you think your account has been compromised
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Disengage from the scammers. Do not share any one-time codes or passwords if prompted.
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Change your EQ Bank password immediately.
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Change the password for the email account associated with your EQ Bank account.
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Contact EQ Bank Customer Care at 1-844-437-2265 (1-844-4EQ-BANK) so we can help secure your account.
Additional Resources
For more information on cybersecurity at EQ Bank, visit these resources:
Learn about what we do to protect you and read additional cybersecurity tips.
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