Vivianne Gauci, Senior Vice President, Customer Experience and Chief Marketing Officer at HomeEquity Bank, saw the concept for Unmask the Scam come to life.
“I was targeted by a romance scammer pretending to be a Canadian A-list celebrity. I knew the signs so I didn’t fall for the scam, but I still can’t get over how real it looked,” Gauci said in a press release. “Understanding that retired Canadians feel more vulnerable to scams, I knew HomeEquity Bank had a responsibility to help fight this new kind of fraud.”
The goal of HomeEquity Bank is to assist Canadians in retiring in the home they adore on their terms. Retirement fears may materialize if scammers target homeowners over 55. In British Columbia, 34% of homeowners are 55 years or older and grey divorce is on the rise, so this generation is a prime target for romance scams.
Fraud and cybercrime complaints increased by 40% over the previous year, with victim losses totalling $530 million in 2022, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC).
“While our deepfake actor is only using the technology for educational purposes, not every user of deepfake technology is,” said Gauci. “If you think you’ve been targeted in a scam, please contact the police and the CAFC. I understand it can be embarrassing to talk about but taking action helps you take back your power.”
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