Best practices for online security
Use stronger passwords.

Make sure you use a range of passwords across multiple sites. Long, unique and complex passwords with a range of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters are best. Always verify the strength of your passwords, and never share them or enter them into public or shared computers.

Become a phishing detective.

Monitor your personal and work email to ensure emails containing mismatched URLS, spelling and grammar mistakes or urgent requests for personal information are flagged and reported. If you’re not sure, always report!

Never share passwords.

Even the strongest and most secure passwords should never be shared. Your passwords are the central source of protection against cybercrime. Always keep them private.

Lock your screen.

When not in use, be sure to secure your cell phone or your computer by turning on sleep mode or activating the screen lock. Failing to do this increases the risk of someone obtaining personal or sensitive information.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).

By combining your strong and unique passwords with multi-factor authentication, you’re adding an extra layer of security by requiring an additional form of self-verification. This makes it more difficult for hackers to gain access to your personal information. 

Maintain your software.

Keep your operating system and applications regularly updated to protect against potential vulnerabilities. Regularly backing up important data from personal devices to an external hard drive or cloud storage can help prevent data loss in case of a cyber-attack. Visit the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security in additional resources to learn more about backing up your data.

Common types of scams.

Many times, these scam attempts follow a certain playbook. Here are a few of the most common types of fraud that you may encounter.

  • Grandparents scams: Scammers call or email posing as a grandchild/family member in distress who needs money (usually via gift card or cash) immediately.
  • Romance scams: Criminals use dating websites, apps or social media to build rapport and trust and then start asking for money.
  • Lottery/inheritance scams: Fraudsters send fake letters or emails claiming that you have won a lottery or inherited a large sum of money, and demand an up-front fee to claim the prize.
  • Imposter scams: A criminal calls pretending to be from Fidelity or another reputable service provider, and requests you send them back a one-time passcode that the criminal has generated through fraudulent web activity, such as attempting to reset your password.
  • Remote access scams: A criminal will call and claim to be from a well-known company. They’ll request access to your computer, and if granted access, they’ll try to make you believe that you have a serious problem, like a malicious software infection, that you’ll have to pay them to fix. Alternatively, they may use this access to your computer to log in to various accounts you have with different providers, using your stored browser passwords.
Common red flags
Deepfake awareness

Deepfake Awareness

Fraudsters are increasingly using generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI) to conduct cyber scams. Learn more about what to look out for and how to protect yourself, family and information. 

Staying vigilant on social media

Protecting yourself on social media

It’s important to maintain your online security on social media. Cybersecurity breaches often occur when information is posted on social media in an unsafe way. Below, you’ll find tips on how to improve your cybersafety while on social media.
 

Never share personal information.

Never post addresses, email addresses, phone numbers or your date of birth on social media.

Think twice. Post once.

Make sure you pause to ensure your post does not contain any personal information linked to your passwords or security questions.

Remove old emails and delete old accounts.

These accounts may open the door for a security breach. If you’ve moved on, make sure you take the steps to delete the account entirely.

Talk to your loved ones
Content Credentials

Content Credentials

Starting August 21, 2025, Fidelity began adding Content Credentials to new videos on Vidyard and Fidelity.ca.

Look for the “Cr” button on a video - hover over it to see the credentials and confirm the content is authentic.

Read the FAQ

Additional resources

If you suspect your personal information is at risk, please refer to the government resources below for more information. 

What to do if you suspect fraud has occurred

  • If you think you’ve fallen victim to any of the tactics used by scammers, the first thing to do is stop communication with the criminal immediately. Be sure to update your password, review all your accounts and balances and add multi-factor authentication to your account.
  • If you are concerned your Fidelity account may have been compromised, or you’d like to report some other type of security concern related to your account, please report it immediately, and email us at FICCustService@fidelity.ca.

Please refer to the government resources below for more ways to report fraud:

 

Canada's Credit Bureaus:

TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Department
1-800-663-9980 (EN)
1-877-713-3393 (FR)

 

Equifax Consumer Fraud Division
1-866-828-5961(EN- option 2)
1-800-465-7166 (FR- option 3)