Fraud Awareness
Think before you post: Protecting your P.Eng. credential online Submitted by Christine Larocque, Director, Communications and Information Technology, Engineers Nova Scotia legitimate to someone unfamiliar with the regulatory system. Importantly, fraud does not require malicious intent on the part of the registrant. Simply sharing too much information can create an opportunity for misuse. Safer ways to celebrate Photo: iStock Earning a P.Eng. Licence is a significant professional milestone. It represents years of education, experience, and a commitment to ethical and responsible engineering practice. It is natural to want to celebrate that achievement publicly; however, Engineers Nova Scotia is reminding registrants that sharing images of newly issued P.Eng. certificates on social media, particularly when they include a member’s full name and registration number can carry unintended risks. As part of ongoing Fraud Awareness efforts, Engineers Nova Scotia continues to see how easily professional credentials can be misused when personal and professional information is made publicly available.
numbers, and certificate formats can be replicated and paired with fake profiles, fraudulent documents, or misleading marketing materials. In some cases, these misrepresentations are used to: • Offer engineering services without authorization; • Apply false credibility to drawings, reports, or proposals; and/or • Mislead employers, clients, or members of the public. This type of misuse undermines trust in the profession and creates real risks to public safety, project integrity, and legal compliance—the very foundations professional regulation is designed to protect. Why this matters
How fraud can happen When a P.Eng. certificate is posted online, it can be copied, altered, or reused by bad actors. Even a high-quality photo shared with positive intent may provide enough information for someone to falsely represent themselves as a licensed engineer. Names, Licence
Engineers Nova Scotia licenses engineers to protect the public. While the regulator maintains official records through its Member Directory, third parties may not always verify credentials properly. When certificate images circulate freely online, they can be taken out of context and used in ways that appear 10
Engineers Nova Scotia encourages new P.Eng.’s to celebrate their achievement thoughtfully: • Share your accomplishment without posting images of your certificate; • Avoid displaying your registration number publicly; and • Direct employers or clients to the official Member Directory for verification These small steps help reduce risk while still allowing you to mark an important professional moment. A shared responsibility Fraud prevention is not just about identifying imposters,; it is also about reducing opportunities for misrepresentation. By being mindful of what information is shared online, registrants play an important role in protecting both themselves and the profession. As Engineers Nova Scotia continues its fraud awareness campaign, registrants are reminded that protecting professional credentials helps maintain public trust in engineering and ensures that the P.Eng. designation continues to stand for competence, accountability, and integrity.