FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 20, 2022

Toronto, ON – Autism Alliance of Canada and Inclusion Canada are advising the public to be aware of an e-mail phishing scam in which individuals posing as Ready, Willing & Able (RWA) staff attempt to collect confidential and personal information. RWA is a national employment program for persons on the autism spectrum or with an intellectual disability. 

The scammers may represent themselves as staff working at Ready, Willing & Able and have been targeting random persons by e-mail with a false offer of employment to work for the RWA delivery program. In recent cases, these individuals have used a fake domain resembling “readywillingandable”, and have attached a blank PDF form for potential applicants to return to the sender with confidential information. 

These job offers do not originate from RWA or any other provincial or territorial delivery partner, and are fraudulent. RWA does not hire for its national delivery team in this manner.

Scammers will sometimes impersonate established programs to try to add credibility to their scheme. They also frequently target vulnerable persons. Scammers may send fake emails requesting personal or financial information. These are called phishing emails. 

We encourage members of the public to be vigilant and on alert for potential email scams, which may include the following warning signs:

  • Being contacted by someone that you do not know;
  • Being told that you have been selected for a job offer that you have not previously heard from;
  • Being asked to provide or to confirm any personal or financial information through a suspicious email attachment;
  • The domain name of the email address could reasonably be considered a legitimate address, but is misspelled;
  • The email contains poor spelling and grammar;
  • The email (or attachments) uses words such as “zip code”, “state” or other phrasing which are not usual for communications occurring within Canada.
  • Emails may appear to be sent from an email account attached to the false domain name or via generic online HR platforms, such as Workable etc.
  • The message creates a sense of urgency by making you feel pressure to act immediately.

Additional tips to ensure your security and safety are the following:

  • Be cautious about providing your personal information (name, address, dates of birth, employment history, Social Security Numbers) to anyone who emails you, because it could result in identity theft.
  • Never click on links or attachments contained in unsolicited emails.
  • Protect your personal and financial information. Never provide this information in response to unsolicited emails claiming to be an organization or a program.

Autism Alliance of Canada and Inclusion Canada are closely collaborating to alert authorities about e-mails sent to potential applicants using a fraudulent version of RWA’s name. 

Those who receive these fraudulent emails are encouraged to not respond and report them to their local law enforcement and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by calling the toll-free line: 1-888-495-8501 or by visiting website: https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng.htm

For more information, please contact:

Rakhee Chowdhury, Autism Alliance of Canada

438-338-9442

rchowdhury@autismalliance.ca

Or

Jeff Ferguson, Inclusion Canada

416-661-9611 ext. 231

jferguson@inclusioncanada.ca

About Autism Alliance of Canada

Representing over 600 organizations and individuals, Autism Alliance of Canada is an alliance focused on addressing priority issues that Autistic persons and their families face across their lifespan. Members of the Alliance are part of a pan-Canadian endeavor to make a better Canada for Autistic people, their families, and their communities. Autism Alliance of Canada coordinates and catalyzes innovation across sectors in policy, research and systems to achieve with others what no single organization can achieve on their own.

About Inclusion Canada

Inclusion Canada is a national federation of 13 provincial-territorial associations and over 300 local associations working to advance the full inclusion and human rights of people with an intellectual disability and their families. We lead the way in building an inclusive Canada by strengthening families, defending rights, and transforming communities into places where everyone belongs