ABC Life Literacy Canada announces new digital literacy resources to combat online fraud

ABC Life Literacy Canada is releasing new resources which aim to educate Canadians on online fraud. 

In 2022, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received fraud and cybercrime reports totalling C$530 million in victim losses. This is an almost 40 per cent increase from 2021. In addition, The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre finds that fraud is rarely even reported, estimating that only five to 10 per cent of people report it.

ABC Life Literacy Canada is focusing its new resources on internet safety with ABC Internet Matters, a program sponsored by the Canadian Bankers Association that provides introductory digital literacy education for adults who need help in strengthening their digital skills, and older Canadians who are not comfortable using the internet. 

The new ABC Internet Matters resources include a website safety checklist, which outlines how to identify a safe and secure website. Fact sheets on urgent pop-ups, with advice on how to deal with them are also included in the resources. There are three video lesson plans on topics like creating strong passwords and ways to identify spam emails. 

“Since the pandemic, the number of fraud cases and online scams has risen astronomically,” says Alison Howard, executive director of ABC Life Literacy Canada. “We’re grateful for the support of Canadian Bankers Association, which enabled us to create much-needed resources that help Canadians educate themselves about online fraud, and ultimately use the internet safely.”

The company said that additional resources will also be added throughout the year.

“In our increasingly connected world, fraud is on the rise and poses a growing threat to Canadians’ financial security,” said Anthony G. Ostler, president and chief executive officer of  Canadian Bankers Association. “Safeguarding customers’ money and personal information is a fundamental priority for all banks, and Canadians also have an important role to play in securing their sensitive accounts and recognizing the signs of fraud. That’s why the CBA is proud to sponsor the ABC Internet Matters program and to support these new digital literacy resources that will help protect people against online fraud.”