Recognizing Phishing and Scams Course: Job scams, invoice fraud and payment requests

1. Question 1 of 17

   A job posting says you must pay a $150 "training fee" before you start. What does the CAFC say?

   • APay half now and half after your first day
   • BNever pay deposits or fees for a job
   • CPay it in crypto to protect your identity
   • DPay it if the salary is high
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Never pay deposits or fees for a job

   The CAFC says never send deposits or pay fees for a job. Real employers do not charge you to work.

2. Question 2 of 17

   What is a "money mule"?

   • AA person who lends money to friends
   • BAn app that tracks your spending
   • CSomeone who receives and forwards money for criminals
   • DA driver who carries cash for a bank
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Someone who receives and forwards money for criminals

   A money mule moves stolen money, often through their own bank account, which makes them part of the fraud.

3. Question 3 of 17

   Why is it risky to work as a "financial agent" who receives and forwards payments for an online employer?

   • AYou will pay a higher income tax rate
   • BIt counts as a second job
   • CYour bank will charge a small fee
   • DYou could be arrested for money laundering
   Show answer

   Answer: D. You could be arrested for money laundering

   The CAFC says this makes you a money mule and you could be arrested for money laundering.

4. Question 4 of 17

   A company offers you $300 to $500 a week to put its logo on your car. It mails you a cheque and asks you to send part of it to the "wrap installer". What is happening?

   • AA lottery prize payment
   • BA normal advertising job that pays its drivers by cheque
   • CA government grant for drivers
   • DA fake cheque scam; you will lose the money you send
   Show answer

   Answer: D. A fake cheque scam; you will lose the money you send

   The CAFC describes car-wrapping offers that use fake cheques. The cheque bounces and the money you sent is gone.

5. Question 5 of 17

   Why do fake cheque scammers ask you to send part of the money on quickly?

   • ATo pay the income tax on the cheque
   • BSo you send real money before the cheque is found to be fake
   • CBecause cheques expire after one day
   • DBecause banks require part of every cheque back within an hour
   Show answer

   Answer: B. So you send real money before the cheque is found to be fake

   The cheque later turns out to be fake, but the money you already sent is real and usually lost.

6. Question 6 of 17

   Read the messages. Which detail is the clearest sign of a job scam?

   Message from "Mia, Recruiter, BrightReach Digital":

   Hi! We saw your resume. Earn $200 to $800 a day boosting apps from home. No experience needed. Just top up your work account to unlock higher-paying tasks.

   Two weeks later, the app shows a balance of $1,940. A message says you must deposit $500 in cryptocurrency to unlock withdrawals.

   • AYou must pay a deposit to unlock your own earnings
   • BThe recruiter mentions your resume
   • CThe work can be done from home
   • DNo experience is needed
   Show answer

   Answer: A. You must pay a deposit to unlock your own earnings

   The CAFC lists upfront deposits, upgrade fees and unlock payments as warning signs of job scams.

7. Question 7 of 17

   Read the messages. What is the $1,940 balance most likely?

   Message from "Mia, Recruiter, BrightReach Digital":

   Hi! We saw your resume. Earn $200 to $800 a day boosting apps from home. No experience needed. Just top up your work account to unlock higher-paying tasks.

   Two weeks later, the app shows a balance of $1,940. A message says you must deposit $500 in cryptocurrency to unlock withdrawals.

   • AA bonus for new members only
   • BA fake number shown to get you to deposit more
   • CA tax amount you owe to the CRA
   • DReal earnings that arrive after the deposit
   Show answer

   Answer: B. A fake number shown to get you to deposit more

   The CAFC says victims see a rising fake balance on screen but can never withdraw it.

8. Question 8 of 17

   Before you share ID documents with a new employer you found online, what does the CAFC suggest?

   • APost the offer on social media to ask friends
   • BSend the ID quickly so the recruiter can start your file
   • CAsk the recruiter to prove the job is real by email
   • DCheck its official website and call its official number
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Check its official website and call its official number

   Confirm the employer using contact details you find yourself, and don't share ID with unverified contacts.

9. Question 9 of 17

   In a "boss needs gift cards" email, what story does the scammer often tell, according to the CAFC?

   • AA supplier wants payment in cash
   • BThe office needs new laptops delivered before noon today
   • CThe bank has frozen the company's accounts
   • DThe boss is offsite and needs gift cards for staff
   Show answer

   Answer: D. The boss is offsite and needs gift cards for staff

   The CAFC says these emails claim the boss is offsite and needs help buying gift cards for rewards or birthdays.

10. Question 10 of 17

    An email from an employee asks HR to change their direct deposit account starting this pay period. What does the CAFC call this kind of scam if it is fake?

    • AA mystery shopper scam
    • BA false billing scam
    • CA recovery pitch
    • DA payroll spoof
    Show answer

    Answer: D. A payroll spoof

    In a payroll spoof, a fake email from an employee asks to send their pay to a fraudster's account.

11. Question 11 of 17

    The CAFC describes a "financial industry client spoof". What does the fake client usually ask for?

    • APaper copies of their statements
    • BA meeting at the branch next week
    • CAn urgent wire transfer, usually to a foreign account
    • DA new password and security questions for their online account
    Show answer

    Answer: C. An urgent wire transfer, usually to a foreign account

    The fake client pushes a financial firm to send an urgent wire, usually to a foreign account.

12. Question 12 of 17

    Read the email. How is the sender's domain different from the real one?

    From: Robert Chen, CEO <r.chen@harbourline-group.example>

    To: Fatima (Accounts Payable)

    Fatima, I'm in meetings all day and can't take calls. We are closing a confidential acquisition. Wire $148,500 to the account below today. Keep this between us until it is announced.

    Robert

    (Harbourline Group's real email domain is harbourlinegroup.example.)

    • AIt leaves out the word "group"
    • BIt is spelled exactly the same
    • CIt ends in .ca instead of the company's usual .example
    • DIt adds a hyphen: harbourline-group.example
    Show answer

    Answer: D. It adds a hyphen: harbourline-group.example

    One extra hyphen makes a completely different domain. Look-alike addresses are common in executive spoofs.

13. Question 13 of 17

    Read the email. What should Fatima do?

    From: Robert Chen, CEO <r.chen@harbourline-group.example>

    To: Fatima (Accounts Payable)

    Fatima, I'm in meetings all day and can't take calls. We are closing a confidential acquisition. Wire $148,500 to the account below today. Keep this between us until it is announced.

    Robert

    (Harbourline Group's real email domain is harbourlinegroup.example.)

    • ASend half today and the rest tomorrow
    • BReply to the email to confirm the account number
    • CCall Robert on a known number and follow the approval rules
    • DSend the wire, since the CEO asked her directly and in writing
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Call Robert on a known number and follow the approval rules

    Verify unusual requests using contact details you already have, such as the work directory, and never skip the approval process.

14. Question 14 of 17

    An email that looks like it comes from a supplier says all future payments should go to a "new" bank account. What is the safest step?

    • AReply to the email to confirm the change
    • BUpdate the account, since the email has the supplier's logo
    • CCall the supplier using the number in your own records
    • DCall the phone number in the email's signature
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Call the supplier using the number in your own records

    This matches the CAFC's supplier/contractor swindle. Contact details in the email may belong to the scammer.

15. Question 15 of 17

    Your landlord's email asks you to pay this month's rent by e-transfer to a new address. What does the CAFC suggest?

    • AReply and ask for a photo of their ID
    • BContact your landlord using the information you already have
    • CPay it, since the email uses your landlord's real name and address
    • DPay half by e-transfer and half by cheque
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Contact your landlord using the information you already have

    The CAFC gives this rent example and says to contact the landlord using information you already have.

16. Question 16 of 17

    You are selling a couch online. A buyer from out of town offers to buy it unseen, pays more than the price and asks you to send back the extra. What is this?

    • AA SIM swap
    • BA vendor overpayment scam
    • CA normal way to cover shipping
    • DA tech-support scam
    Show answer

    Answer: B. A vendor overpayment scam

    The CAFC warns about out-of-town buyers who buy unseen and use overpayments to get you to send money back.

17. Question 17 of 17

    A buyer sends an email that looks like a payment notice. It says you must pay a fee before the money is released to you. What should you do?

    • AGive the buyer your banking password
    • BPay the fee so the money is released
    • CTreat it as a scam; payment notices can be faked
    • DShip the item, since the notice shows that the buyer has paid
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Treat it as a scam; payment notices can be faked

    The CAFC lists spoofed payment notifications and fees for claimed account problems as vendor fraud tactics.

Keyboard: 1–4 to answer, Enter for the next question.