75% of Canadian fraud victims say learning to better manage their emotions would have protected them from fraud:
TORONTO, March 18, 2025 /CNW/ - Fraud isn't just a financial threat; it's a deeply personal one. According to a recent survey by Interac Corp. (Interac), 70 per cent of Canadian fraud victims agree that experiencing heightened stress makes people more susceptible to fraud. The findings also reveal that better managing emotions can help protect against fraud attempts. Many victims reported feeling more anxious (82 per cent), concerned (78 per cent), and stressed (77 per cent) than usual immediately before falling victim to fraud and that these feelings impacted their decision-making. This underscores a critical vulnerability: when emotions run high, our judgment can be clouded and can make us more susceptible to scams.
Recognizing the connection between heightened emotions and fraud susceptibility, Interac has launched a Fraud Prevention Month initiative to empower Canadians with tips and resources to stay safe in the face of scams. Central to this are The Unshakeables, a team of experts brought together by Interac from high-pressure professions who have shared their real-world strategies for staying calm and thinking clearly while facing many similar emotions in their workplace that Canadians might experience in the face of fraud attempts.
"Fraudsters prey upon innate human tendencies, particularly the power of stress, to narrow our thinking around quick and obvious solutions," explains Norman Farb, associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. "What makes these tactics so effective is their ability to leverage a threat to create a sense of urgency or fear; the ensuing stress speeds up judgment and suppresses our capacity for exploration and learning. By cultivating emotional awareness and learning to 'go sensory and exploratory' in the face of an unexpected threat, we can reduce the urgency to respond and replace it with a commitment to more fully understand the situation. Fraudsters are banking on our desire to help or protect, and we can thwart their strategies if we believe that a well-informed, well-reasoned response is more likely to help or protect than a quick fix, however convenient it may seem."
Seventy-five per cent of Canadian fraud victims polled agree that managing their emotions appropriately during a fraud attempt is important, yet many find it difficult to achieve. This highlights the need for accessible and practical emotional management tools to help combat fraud.
"At the heart of digital prosperity are the millions of Canadians who feel safe and secure in their use of technology in today's increasingly online world," says Mark Hines, Head of Product, Fraud. "Interac has an unwavering commitment to protecting and educating Canadians about fraud. By raising awareness around the emotional triggers that make them vulnerable, Interac is empowering Canadians to build a stronger defense against scams."
Protecting yourself from fraud doesn't have to be complicated. Beyond emotional awareness, the survey also identified simple preventative measures that can significantly help reduce the risk of fraud. Pausing to think before committing to anything, particularly when sending money, is a key strategy cited by 62 per cent of respondents. Consulting a trusted friend or family member and trusting your instincts are also powerful techniques. These straightforward actions can act as a vital buffer against scams, allowing individuals to regain composure and assess the situation more rationally. By incorporating these simple habits into daily life, individuals can empower themselves to be more resilient against fraud.
This year, to further ensure Canadians understand the connection between their emotional state and fraud, Interac has developed a guided exercise to help Canadians learn how their emotions can impact their actions in the face of fraud attempts. During the exercise, The Unshakeables provide guidance from their own careers on how to manage emotional responses during a fraud attempt. Participants will also receive actionable tips, including taking a deep breath and counting to ten, and taking a step back to identify the emotions they're feeling.
This guided exercise is a further proof point of the commitment from Interac to help protect Canadians from fraud and empowering them with the knowledge and tools they need to help them stay safe. Canadians can check out comprehensive fraud education resources from Interac, including valuable insights and practical advice for consumers.
Find out how you can keep calm in the face of fraud here.
About the Interac Research
Hill & Knowlton surveyed 1,000 Canadians who have fallen victim to fraud in the last three years over the period of February 11 to 18, 2025. Sampling was done within age, gender, and region quotas. The length of survey was 10 minutes. Data was weighted on age, gender, and region according to 2021 census figures. An associated margin of error for a randomly selected sample of n=1,000 would be ±3%, 19 times out of 20.
About Interac Corp.
Interac empowers Canadians to transact digitally with confidence by providing payment and value exchange services. In helping to develop the future of money movement and verification in Canada, security is the core of everything we do. Through our privacy, fraud mitigation, governance, and verification and authentication services, we help keep Canadian customers safe and secure when transacting. With nearly 300 financial institutions connected to our network, Canadians choose Interac products over 20 million times a day on average to exchange money. Interac champions workplace culture and corporate citizenship based on the principles of responsibility, diversity, and inclusion. We are proud to be one of Canada's leading and most trusted financial brands. For more information, visit our website.
Interac is a registered trademark of Interac Corp.
SOURCE Interac Corp.
For further information: Interac Corp., media@interac.ca
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