With the significant number of phishing scams appearing on our mobile devices daily, the Winnipeg Police have some tips to share to help keep you and your finances secure.

Jay Murray, public information officer for the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), says he's noticed more frequent scam messages appearing recently, even on his own mobile device.

With no real way to prevent receiving illegitimate or fraudulent messages sent to your mobile device, however, Murray shares some tips to protect yourself against these scams.

1. Never click a link sent in an unexpected text message

Unless you're certain that you are expecting a message to be sent to you that contains a link or refers to your financial information, it is imperative that you do not put yourself at risk by clicking any mysterious links sent to you.

If you're unsure as to whether or not the message could be real, Murray advises the public to contact their banking institutions directly or check their online accounts.

2. Look for mistakes in the message

As many scam messages come out of nowhere, often mistakes regarding the bank or institution that is supposedly contacting you will appear, says Murray.

"Maybe you'll get a message from Scotiabank or CIBC and it'll say that your account has been suspended, but you bank with a credit union," explained the officer. "That's your first indication that something is wrong."

3. Make others aware

If you know someone who you think may be likely to be taken advantage of by a fraudulent message, take some time to speak with them and share these tips to help them better protect themselves.

"The better job we can do, telling each other about these scams, the better we can do to prevent anyone from falling to it," says Murray.