Infographic: 3 Months After CERB

August 07, 2020
How CERB Fraud Works

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How CERB Fraud Works

The CERB program costs over $71 billion to the Canadian Government [1]

There are 2000 to 2 000 000 erroneous or fraudulent claims [2]

Fraudulent CERB Application Process

  1. Gain Control of a CRA Account
    • Malicious actors either create a new account or takeover an existing one
  2. Change the Bank Account: 
    • They log to the CRA account and modify bank account details
  3. Apply for CERB
    • They apply for CERB in the behalf of the victim
  4. Launder the Payments
    • They move the money between accounts or they use the money purchasing cryptocurrencies

The CERB Fraud in July 2020

A search for CERB in our databases suggests that CERB fraud picked up in May and may just be peaking at the time of writing.

The figure below shows that the number of new darkweb listings and advertisements targeting CERB increased during that period.

Our interactions with malicious actors suggest that CERB fraud is still active but is getting more difficult because of newly-adopted fraud prevention methods.

Conclusion

The best solution remains for individuals to monitor their CRA account and look for changes in their contact information, bank details and PCU payments. By keeping a close eye on that account, it may be possible to prevent many abuses and to facilitate the CRA investigations into CERB fraud.

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