Free quiz · by AlphaIT
Spot the Scam: Can You Tell Real Emails From Fake?
Ten emails and texts like the ones landing in Canadian offices right now. Decide which are real and which are scams, and see the clues you missed. Takes about five minutes.
How it works
- 10 messages: work emails and texts to your phone
- Choose “Looks real” or “It’s a scam”
- After each one, see the clues that give it away
No sign-up. Every name, company and number in the quiz is made up.
What the quiz teaches
Four Questions That Catch Almost Every Scam
You don’t need to be technical. Before you click, pay or reply, run through these.
Who really sent it?
Look at the address, not the name. A boss on Gmail, a supplier with a 1 instead of an l, or “Microsoft” at a domain Microsoft doesn’t own.
Why the rush?
Deadlines like “within 24 hours” or “before Friday’s payroll” are there to stop you from checking.
Does it want money, a password or a code?
Gift cards, new banking details, a “keep your password” button or a code read out over the phone are the scam’s whole point.
Can I check it another way?
Call the person or company on a number you already have, or sign in to the real website yourself instead of using the link.
For business owners and office managers
Use It as a Five-Minute Team Exercise
Send the link to your staff, then spend five minutes at your next team meeting on the questions people got wrong. Most offices find the payroll and supplier-invoice examples catch the most people, and those are the ones that cost real money.
Then agree on one rule everyone follows: any change to banking details is confirmed by phone, on a number already on file.
Frequently asked questions
Spot the Scam Quiz FAQs
About the quiz and the scams in it.
Are the emails in this quiz real?
They’re modelled on real scams reported in Canada, such as fake CRA refunds, Canada Post redelivery fees, gift-card requests and payroll changes. Every name, company, address and phone number is made up.
Does the CRA send text messages?
The CRA says it won’t use text messages to start a conversation with you about your taxes, benefits or My Account. Its only texts are sign-in codes for people who chose the phone option. A text offering a refund is a scam.
Does Canada Post text you about redelivery fees?
No. Canada Post says texts asking you to pay to release a delivery aren’t from them. Its real tracking texts come only if you signed up, from short codes 272727 or 55555.
What should I do if I clicked a scam link?
Close the page, then change the password of any account you typed into, from a different device if possible, and check that multifactor authentication is on. Tell your IT provider. If you paid, call your bank and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Our phishing emergency guide gives you the steps in order.
Can I use this quiz for staff training?
Yes, it’s free to share. Send the link to your team and go over the questions people missed. For ongoing training and phishing tests, talk to us about security awareness training.
Do you store my answers?
No. The quiz runs in your browser. We only count anonymous events, such as how many people finish it, to see whether it’s useful.
Security awareness training
One Click Is All It Takes. Let’s Make Sure Nobody Clicks.
We run short, practical security sessions and phishing tests for Edmonton offices, and set up the protections that catch what people miss.
780-318-0149
Edmonton, AB · serving the Edmonton region