A Quebec resident has been fined $40,000 by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) after sending more than 30,000 phishing text messages.
Between Dec. 22, 2020, and Jan. 14, 2021, Sami Medouni allegedly sent at least 31,925 electronic messages without the recipients’ consent after fraudulently obtaining the phone numbers, the CRTC said Monday.
The messages impersonated well-known brands to obtain personal information such as credit card numbers or banking information.
“No evidence presented as part of the investigation suggests that Sami Medouni received the necessary consent to transmit [messages électroniques commerciaux]» says the report from the CRTC’s Chief Compliance and Investigations Officer.
The CRTC began its investigation after it was alerted by a telephone company to a scam that could potentially affect its customers.
“Not only are these phishing attempts a nuisance for Canadians, they also pose a risk to our personal and financial information,” said Steven Harroun, chief compliance and investigations executive at the CRTC.
Canadians who receive unwanted messages can report them to the National Do Not Call List administrator online or by calling Junk Calls at 1-866-580-3625.
Regarding spam or other electronic messages, you can contact the Spam Reporting Center.
If you lose money or personal information following a call, you are advised to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.