Incorrect Email Message about Memberships

RAC Bulletin April 13, 2014:

We have received several reports from RAC members who have received a message from Radio Amateurs of Canada which indicates that their membership has ended.

This message was in fact sent by Radio Amateurs of Canada to RAC members, but it was entirely as a result of a technical error while working on an update to the RAC website.

We emphasize that no RAC memberships have ended prematurely and your membership remains active. If you wish to confirm the status of your RAC membership, you may do so by logging into your RAC account on the RAC website.

We apologize for this error and any inconvenience that it has caused and we sincerely thank you once again for your response. If this had in fact been a phishing or other cybersecurity threat we hope that you would act the same way and contact RAC before clicking on any links. We have provided some cybersecurity tips below.

RAC’s Cybersecurity Efforts

To date, there have been no direct successful attacks on the RAC computer system. Unfortunately attempts to defraud people through email messages and phone calls are a part of the world we live in today.

We will continue to take measures to ensure that our computer system is as safe as possible and that our members are provided with information.

Radio Amateurs of Canada is continuing to increase our cybersecurity. We do not keep any financial information and only widely available personal information (such as name, call sign and dates relating to current membership) is available in our system so our risks are considerably less than compared to commercial systems.

Note: Radio Amateurs of Canada collects personally identifiable information about you when you voluntarily provide it. When you apply for membership and subscription services, or provide your personal contact information for publication or product orders, every effort will be made to ensure that the information provided will be securely maintained. For more information please see our Privacy Policy and our Cybersecurity webpage.

Tips on Avoiding Email Scams

Here are a few tips on how to avoid email scams:

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1) Filter spam.

2) Don’t trust unsolicited email.

3) Treat email attachments with caution.

4) Don’t click links in email messages unless you are confident you know who the sender is.

5) Install antivirus software and keep it up to date.

6) Install a personal firewall and keep it up to date.

7) Configure your email client for security.

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Radio Amateurs of Canada will never ask people to download files from a third-party site in their email communication.

Always check to see if the sender of a suspicious email has an @rac.ca email address as all RAC officials use @rac.ca.

If you are concerned or suspicious always contact the RAC office before opening any files in an email message that appears to come from RAC.

Thank you for continuing to notify us about cybersecurity threats!