Don’t Wait until it’s too Late: Invest in your IT Security, and People

By Hector Kearns, CTO of Kearns Technology

Cybercrime does not impact everyone equally. For Caribbean Canadians, the reality is more targeted. A unique combination of socioeconomic, cultural, and systemic factors makes your community more vulnerable to the latest deceptions.

Hector Kearns, Cybersecurity Expert at KTI – Photo by Rob Campbell . 18 Feb 2025

As CTO of Kearns Technology managed IT services (MSP) company here in Toronto, I’m designing custom security solutions and scheduling cybersecurity training for all staff members more frequently than ever before. The internet is a battlefield, and Caribbean Canadians are on the frontlines.

Online connections to family and friends back home, the very threads that keep Caribbean culture vibrant in Toronto, are navigable pathways for cybercriminals. Think about the familiar emails you receive from contacts “back home,” promising a reward if you just reply. This isn’t simply a dispatch from or about your fellow islanders; it’s a global network of cybercriminals, and your community is in their sights. When your hand is in the lion’s mouth, take time to draw it out. It’s time to understand why Caribbean Canadians are being targeted and, more importantly, what you can do to protect yourselves.

In their 2022 study, crime stats from Global Financial Integrity (GFI) group, a Washington, DC-based research organization, suggested that the Caribbean diaspora is more routinely victimized by advance fee frauds, Ponzi schemes and ID theft than other demographics. Cybercrime stemming from Caribbean countries usually surrounds identity theft and fraud-based exploits such as cheque fraud, credit card fraud, insurance fraud, government benefit (stimulus, unemployment, etc.) fraud, and tax fraud. Criminals frequently use fraudulent documents to portray themselves as officials of important organizations to commit ID theft. Well-engineered phishing emails originating from the tropics routinely affect people and businesses here in Canada.

Exploiting Paradise: The Plight of the Caribbean Diaspora

With over thirty territories, including sovereign island states and dependencies, the Caribbean has a total population of 42 million people, with Cuba being the most populous (11 million), and Saint Kitts and Nevis (55,000) the smallest.  Spanish, English, French, Dutch, Haitian Creole and Papiamento are the languages spoken, and in many cases, used in phishing emails targeting their fellow citizens living abroad.  Caribbean emigres face disproportionate risks due to economic, educational, and systemic challenges of life in Canada. As a demographic, they have: less cybersecurity awareness, less access to protective tools, and less trust in reporting mechanisms, which makes them a favourite target of international criminals.

Phishing attacks can have life altering consequences! Photo by Rob Campbell 15 Feb 2025

Scammers Prey on Trust and Need: The Latest Tricks  

Scammers are increasingly sophisticated, exploiting our trust with tactics which demand our attention and vigilance. Below are a few of the more popular scams worth sharing and discussing to raise awareness.

Remittance Scams

Many Caribbean Canadians send remittances back home, and cybercriminals exploit this behavior by setting up fake websites, and sending phishing emails that mimic popular remittance services, or by launching new ultra-low fee sites which are entirely fake.

The latest scams center on crypto currency exchanges, which are very convincing and only an expert would know to check regulatory compliance to ensure the exchange is registered with relevant financial authorities. In Canada, look for registration with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC)​. While FINTRAC is not a government financial agency, it operates in association with the Minister of Finance.

Family Emergency Scams

“I’ve been in an accident, and I need money for medical expenses.”

Imagine receiving a frantic message from your “nephew” studying abroad, mentioning familiar landmarks and local slang you both share. He’s in trouble, a medical emergency, a lost wallet. The details are hazy, but the urgency is palpable. The message even mentions your sister, confirming the story. It feels so real, so close. Suddenly, the warnings about scams fade into the background. You know you must act fast, no time to double-check. This is family. Before you know it, you’ve bypassed every security measure, every hesitant thought, and sent the money. The relief is immense, until the crushing realization hits: you’ve been expertly manipulated, a victim of a socially engineered phishing scam.

Romance scams

“I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

Romance scams are on the rise, with fraudsters using dating apps, websites, and social media to target unsuspecting victims. These criminals often prey on individuals seeking companionship, particularly within the 2SLGBTQI+ community, and are known to operate in popular travel destinations like the Caribbean islands. Once trust is gained, victims may be robbed, or even abducted, highlighting the severe dangers of these online entanglements.

There have been several reports of assaults and robberies that have occurred in Jamaica, and among the Jamaican community here in Canada, because of encounters set up through dating apps. There are so many incidents the Government of Canada has issued a specific warning to Jamaican Canadians.

Lottery scams

“You’ve won a free prize!”

Caribbean Canadians are frequent targets of lottery scams and pyramid schemes. Tight-knit communities can lead to quick spread of misinformation, or unverified financial opportunities. By presenting fraudulent documents marked with authentic logos, scammers convince Canadians they have won a prize, or qualify for some financial boon, but must first pay a processing fee. It’s an age-old scenario that always seems to fool a certain type of individual who becomes blinded by their joy and doesn’t want to consider that this just might be fraud. You should never send money to someone in the Caribbean who says you’ve won a lottery, or prize.

 Business Email Compromise (BEC) Scams

“Just closed an epic deal with Caribbean-based Acme company for XYZ product delivery on Thursday.” The company executive posts on X.com

Entrepreneurs who run import-export businesses, or who send funds to Caribbean countries can be targeted by BEC scams, where attackers impersonate vendors, or business partners. This often happens after company executives, or stakeholders celebrate their success on a social media site, sharing too many details.  Social media updates ripe with such valuable information might provoke hackers to send emails to the firm posing as the delivery agents, or the Caribbean vendor, listing the exact specifics of XYZ product, asking for another fee or special access. Once again, business executives need proper training to know what’s appropriate to share online.

It is Important to Understand that Technology Alone isn’t Enough

In today’s digital landscape, the threat of cyberattacks is not a matter of “if” but “when.” As Canadians, we’re constantly targeted by cybercriminals and rogue nations, making robust IT security more critical than ever.

At Kearns Technology, we understand this urgency. We provide managed IT services in Toronto, designing and deploying infrastructure and scalable IT security solutions. We can equip your business with intelligent firewalls, continuous threat monitoring and zero-tolerance, multi-factor authentication login protocols to help protect your data. It’s important to understand that technology alone isn’t enough. We believe that IT security training is fundamental for success – both in your professional and personal life, because even the most intelligent security systems can be circumvented by humans making silly mistakes.

Without proper training, your team will, in time, unknowingly open the door to a devastating cyberattack. Imagine a seemingly harmless request for login credentials from a familiar file-sharing program devolving into a full-blown malware infection, jeopardizing your company’s future and your employees’ livelihoods.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Invest in your security and invest in your people. Contact Kearns Technology today for a comprehensive IT security assessment and discover how we can safeguard and empower your team with the knowledge they need to thrive in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Secure your future, starting now.