Email scams are posing serious security threats in Haliburton County.
October is International Cyber Security Awareness Month, and the Haliburton Highlands OPP wants you to know about phishing and ransomware.
Officials say phishing is any e-mail falsely claiming to be from an organization such as a bank, or government agency. These emails direct the consumer to visit a website to update or provide personal and financial information and passwords.
Ransomware is a pop-up notice on a computer that appears to come from a law enforcement agency. The message is a false accusation of illegal online activities, and demands the consumer needs to pay a fee by a money transfer to unlock the computer.
Our local OPP says to not respond to emails, or pop-ups that request your personal information.
Instead, contact the named financial institution immediately.