⚠️ Protect Yourself, Your Family, Your Clients, and Your Money Online
The Most Important Page You May Ever Read on the Internet
Every day, thousands of people lose money, personal information, passwords, investments, real estate deposits, and business opportunities because they are unaware of the latest scams, frauds, phishing attacks, identity theft schemes, and online deception techniques.
This page has been assembled as a public service to help REALTORS®, real estate professionals, investors, business owners, consumers, families, and the public recognize dangers before they become victims.
Just one tip on this page could save you thousands of dollars, months of stress, or even protect your life savings.
Contact a member to help you network your information.
The Internet Has the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
By understanding the bad and the ugly, you can better recognize warning signs and avoid problems.
The Internet provides extraordinary opportunities for communication, education and business — but it is also used by scammers, fraudsters and criminals. Education, awareness and verification are among your best protections.
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🎓 Safety • Security • Education
One of the best ways to protect yourself, your family, your clients, customers and colleagues is to learn how scams work. Real examples can help people recognize suspicious situations before money, personal information or confidential information is lost.
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🏠 Real Estate Scam Videos from CTV News
Real estate scams can affect buyers, sellers, tenants, landlords, investors and real estate professionals. CTV News has reported on numerous real estate-related scams and frauds.
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📺 Learn From W5 Investigations
The CTV W5 program has provided in-depth investigative journalism exposing scams, fraud, consumer risks and many other serious issues.
These reports can be valuable educational tools because they show how real situations develop, the warning signs people may have missed and the consequences that can follow.
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🏠 Real Estate Scam Videos on Our YouTube Curated Security and Protection Playlist.
Real estate scams can affect buyers, sellers, tenants, landlords, investors and real estate professionals- basically everyone who is on the Internet.
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👨👩👧👦 Share Security Education With Others
Where appropriate, we encourage you to share this information with your family, friends, colleagues, clients and acquaintances.
Consider watching relevant W5 and other reputable investigative reports together as a family. Seeing actual examples can make scam and fraud awareness much easier to understand than simply reading a warning.
Security, fraud awareness and responsible Internet use are also valuable educational subjects for young people. Where appropriate, programs such as W5 investigations can provide useful material for discussion in schools, homes and community organizations.
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STOP • VERIFY • CONFIRM
Before you click a link, send money, provide personal information, change a password or respond to an urgent request — verify it independently.
Fraudsters can impersonate companies, financial institutions, government agencies, real estate professionals, friends and even family members. Artificial Intelligence can make fake emails, websites, documents, photographs, videos and voices increasingly convincing.
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🔐 A Golden Rule of Internet Security
Do not automatically trust a link, message, telephone call, email or social media communication simply because it appears legitimate.
✔ Verify telephone numbers independently before calling.
✔ Confirm unusual requests directly with the person or organization involved.
✔ Verify payment instructions before sending or transferring money.
✔ Never allow urgency or pressure to prevent you from checking first.
✔ If you are uncertain, do not act until you have independently verified the situation.
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🏢 Especially Important in Real Estate
Real estate transactions can involve large sums of money, deposits, banking information, contracts, identification and confidential personal information.
Buyers, sellers, investors, landlords, tenants, brokers and salespeople should independently verify important instructions — particularly requests involving money transfers, deposits, banking information or sudden changes to payment instructions.
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🌎 Please Use and Share This Security Resource
The purpose of the ICIWorld® Security, Safety and Protection page is education. We encourage people to learn, verify information, recognize warning signs and share useful security information with others.
Education today may prevent a serious problem tomorrow.
⚠️ One Click Can Change Everything
One mistaken click on a fraudulent email, text message, social media post, QR code, or fake website can result in:
- Identity Theft
- Bank Account Fraud
- Credit Card Fraud
- Real Estate Deposit Fraud
- Wire Transfer Fraud
- Business Email Compromise
- Loss of Confidential Information
- Computer Malware and Ransomware
- Social Media Account Hijacking
- Financial Losses and Emotional Stress
The good news? Most scams can be avoided simply by knowing what to watch for.
🔐 The Golden Rule of Internet Security
Never click a link in an email, text message, or social media message that asks you to:
- Log In
- Change Your Password
- Verify Your Account
- Confirm Banking Information
- Transfer Money
- Update Payment Details
- Provide Personal Information
Instead:
- ✔ Open your browser and go directly to the company’s website.
- ✔ Call the company using a trusted phone number.
- ✔ Verify requests independently.
- ✔ Ask a trusted professional if you are unsure.
When in doubt, DON’T CLICK.
🤖 AI Has Changed the Security Landscape
Artificial Intelligence can now create:
- Fake Emails
- Fake Websites
- Fake Documents
- Fake Photos
- Fake Videos
- Voice Cloning
- Impersonation Scams
If you receive an urgent request involving money, passwords, confidential information, banking details, cryptocurrency, investments, or account access:
STOP • VERIFY • CONFIRM
Always contact the person or company directly using a trusted phone number before taking action.
🛡️ An Important Message From ICIWorld
ICIWorld has been helping real estate professionals connect with networking opportunities online since 1994.
We encourage all members, website visitors, clients, customers, family members, and friends to remain vigilant online.
If you ever receive a suspicious email, message, or request appearing to come from ICIWorld, verify it independently before taking any action.
Online security is everyone’s responsibility.
Knowledge Is Your Best Antivirus
The purpose of this page is not to create fear.
The purpose is to create awareness.
The more informed you are, the safer you, your family, your clients, your customers, and your business will be.
Please bookmark this page, share it with others, and revisit it regularly as new threats emerge.
Use this page for your online training. Pass it on to others.
The following will be presented more clearly graphically when we have more time. But it is so important that we continue to display it in our original format for now.
The ICIWorld.com Internet Security, Safety and Protection Page
“Essential reading for everyone who uses the Internet.”
Getting through every link on this page could easily be a one-day safety course for all member brokers and salespeople of ICIWorld®, all REALTORS® worldwide, their prospects and customers.
On-Line Safety Resources
Important to use a REALTOR® because they are trained in consumer protection.
Follow the guidelines of NAR, CREA and other links on this page, such as for customers to provide photo identification, etc.
ICIWorld is an association of real estate brokers and salespeople founded on the Internet in 1994.
Specializing in global real estate networking.
Contact a member to help you buy, sell, and manage your information.
Manager and Founder Gary Nusca, CCIM, CIPS, REALTOR, Broker, 52 Years. BIO
The following three links provide REALTORS® with information from their associations to help them protect themselves when meeting people for the first time. The public should be aware, for instance, that a salesperson meeting them for the first time may request proper ID.
On-Line Safety By Being Aware
Police departments could step up and get smarter to nip things in the bud right away. Here was a failing opportunity to help someone. Details. Investigative correspondent Avery Haines reveals a global criminal organization behind romance scams. Watch the W5 documentary Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV. This is her account of the tragic consequences resulting from one of these scams.
App for your mobile for real estate brokers to verify people’s identity, and on a desktop.
You are cruisin’ for a bruisin’ if you do not follow up on this.
Fraud Fighters: Hackers expose illegal call centres and phone scams (Marketplace)
When you visit CBC Marketplace, search for the word “Scam”. It is a great resource to learn how to avoid problems.
July 3, 2025 FLASH NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS: ICIWorld will never send you an email asking you to change your password with a link that says click here to change password. IF YOU GET ONE OF THESE EMAILS, PLEASE LET US KNOW. I GOT ONE TODAY. DO NOT CLICK ON IT. WE DID NOT SEND YOU THAT EMAIL.
BANK NOTICES
Such as Toronto Dominion Bank TD EasyWeb Login
Alert
Fraudsters often impersonate phone numbers to make it look like their malicious text messages or phone calls come from your bank.
Reminder: TD will never send you a text message (SMS) that includes a link or URL to log into your account. If you receive such a text message appearing to be from TD, it is a scam. Do not open the link. Report it to TD by sending a screenshot of the message to phishing@td.com.
To verify if a text or phone call is legitimate, please call the number on the back of your TD card or visit a TD branch.
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‘I wanted to collapse’: A Canadian grandmother’s journey from romance scam victim to unwitting drug mule
Suzana Thayer’s story began as an investigation into a romance scam. Bilked out of more than $200,000, her search for love took her from the world of online dating to Ethiopia to meet the ‘man of her dreams’ — and eventually to a Hong Kong prison after co… -
W5: Prisoner 14000
Avery Haines speaks with romance scam victim Suzana Thayer about how she got caught up in a drug smuggling scheme that landed her in prison.
Fraud.org Fraud.org is a project of the National Consumers League (NCL), a nonprofit advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. NCL was founded in 1899 to promote the interests of consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. Over its long history, NCL staff have dedicated themselves to this mission through investigation, public interest advocacy, and consumer education.
With simple knowledge, you can protect yourself and others against the problems of using the Internet.
The Internet is the most amazing marketing and communication medium known to man. However, to use it in a competent, professional and safe manner, there are some things everyone in the world must be aware of, or you can get into serious problems.
Are password strength testers safe?
Links to Important Security Information
with information you may find helpful
Corporate
Timely and Updated information to help protect your online presence.
Government
National and Federal governments can help with information and reporting.
Organisations
These organisations are non government and are either membership or donation driven.
Software Protection
These companies offer software to help protect your identity and device security. Some of these are free or have a trial.
I personally use the Geek Squad for computer issues, problems and assistance a service provided by Best Buy. GN.
Security Alerts & Articles
How to avoid becoming victim to real estate fraud
Date : Sat., March 23, 2019
Source : Ask Joe at The Star
Police warn of new twist in phone scam targeting Canadians
Last Updated Friday, October 25, 2019 9:33AM EDT
Source : CTV New Toronto, Ontario
Spam EMail. This is what happens when you reply.
Date : Febrary 1 2016
Source : TED Talks with James Veitch on youtube
Suspicious emails: unclaimed insurance bonds, diamond-encrusted safe deposit boxes, close friends marooned in a foreign country. They pop up in our inboxes, and standard procedure is to delete on sight. But what happens when you reply? Follow along as writer and comedian James Veitch narrates a hilarious, months-long exchange with a spammer who offered to cut him in on a hot deal.
Millions falling for online rental scams, says Better Business Bureau
Date : Wed. Dec 11, 2019
Source : msn.com / money
For the following videos, click on the words to play in full screen.