Hydro One warning of "text refund" scam
( Jan 21, 2018 - Kingston, ON ) Hydro One is sending warnings about an electronic scam that has been circulating recently. The company says targeted individuals receive a text message on their cellphone advising them that they have received a refund and instructing themto tap or click on the link to deposit money to their account.
This message is not from Hydro One and the company says that any person receiving this message should ignore and delete it.
Hydro One advises they do not issue refunds in this manner and that these are "phishing" attempts, ie. attempts to obtain a person's private and sensitive information, by pretending to be a trusted person or entity. The text messages often contain spelling or grammatical errors and link to suspicious websites not related to the company.
If you have clicked on the link and entered your banking information, Hydro One says that you should contact your bank immediately to change your password and advise them of the information you entered. Your financial institution will then review your account for unauthorized transactions and assist in undertaking an investigation and filing a fraud claim, if necessary.
