Personal Cyber Insurance

Katie Smith* worked for a large manufacturer, was saving for retirement and being a good neighbour when she received a voicemail from a department store about activity on her newly opened account. The only problem was she didn’t have a credit card from that store. Someone had used her U.S. Social Security number, date of birth and address to open an account there and at 14 other retail stores, ultimately running up $18,000 in fraudulent charges in her name.

A ransomware virus infected a client’s laptop. The criminals demanded a $1,500 ransom to recover their device. CyberClan negotiated with the hacker. Once proof was provided that the data could be decrypted if the demand was met, payment was negotiated and settled through Bitcoin payment facility. The data was recovered for $1,950 (ransom and $450 in professional fees). The client did not have to pay anything out of pocket as their personal cyber insurance policy covered the cost.

John and Nancy Ritter* were set to buy a new home. You can imagine the horror when their home loan funds suddenly disappeared. A thief used stolen personal information to initiate a fraudulent wire transfer of $300,000 from the couple’s credit union to another bank account. Wire transfer fraud is a growing problem and wealthy individuals are one-and-a-half times more likely to fall victim. In the Ritters’ case, with the help of CyberClan, the funds were recouped.

Eileen and Laurence Cashman* carefully planned their retirement, securing an affordable apartment in a seniors building. They didn’t know their home address would make them more vulnerable to identity thieves. A temporary employee working in their building stole their U.S. Social Security numbers and used them to open emails and online Social Security accounts, view their bank account balances, and access their life insurance. Seniors are often vulnerable because they have nest eggs, are less computer savvy and more trusting. CyberClan protected the Cashman’s identity and credit.

Paul Siqueiros knows his way around Facebook. He updates his own personal page, and as a realtor, has a company page to attract new clients. He’s very social. But he never dreamed how much in demand he was until more than 50 women reached out to him asking: “Is this the man I’ve been dating online?” A scammer who had befriended Paul on his business page had used a "social bot"— software that appears to be a person on social networks — to create a profile on several dating sites. The fake profile had Raul's name, photos of him and of his children, as well as personal details. Some women were so smitten they obliged requests to send the scammer money via Western Union. CyberClan used Siqueiros’ story to help educate others.

The Smiths* believed they were paying a contactor to install a swimming pool at their home. The invoice they received had been manipulated by fraudsters, and funds were instead sent to the criminal’s bank account. CyberClan support was needed to help secure the reimbursement of the lost funds.

Computers, laptops, tablets and smart home devices can be exposed to viruses, malware, and spyware that can slow them down or render them useless. This can happen by opening an attachment from an unknown email, clicking on online ads or downloading unofficial software. If infected, you could face loss or damage to your files and systems. These are costly to repair or replace.

Hackers are now targeting everyday people because they often don’t have the knowledge or resources to protect themselves. Ransomware viruses will threaten to damage, disable or deny you access to files on your devices or systems. Threats are used to coerce victims into paying fees for regained computer access.

Identity theft includes everything from cheque forgery and the use of stolen credit cards to sophisticated scams in which an impostor adopts another person’s identity through personal information to gain access to their assets. Cloaked in your stolen identity, a fraudster can cash your cheques, raid your bank accounts, bilk your credit card company and even load a big mortgage on your house.

Whether it’s an email that appears to come from a reputable company or friend, a contest, or requests for charitable donations, scammers use a wide variety of tactics. They may create fake accounts and advise people to invest in cryptocurrencies, create accounts on legitimate auction sites or on online marketplaces. It can include phishing scams to dupe you into transferring money or personal information and credit card fraud.

All the contact information you keep electronically such as friends’ phone numbers, addresses and birthdays is a treasure trove of information for criminals. In the wrong hands, it can be used for malicious intent.

This takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. It can occur through SMS, text and apps, or online in social media where people can view, participate in, or share content. It includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else and can share personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Cyber stalking is online harassment and can take many forms including slander, defamation, false accusations and threats.

Immediately call 1-800-673-8651 and speak with a CyberClan representative who will provide assistance and ensure your reporting obligations are satisfied.

The premium is paid on an annual basis in one lump sum via credit card.

Yes. A policy can be cancelled midterm.