Fraud and Scams
Every year criminals use scams and fraud to obtain money and information from individuals through many different means. These include but are not limited to identity theft, telemarketing scams, door-to-door scams, online scams, business scams, mail scams, email and text message scams.
While many people don’t think it could happen to them, fraudsters use increasingly sophisticated tactics and target people of all ages. Please take a moment to review the following links and information to avoid becoming a victim.
Warning signs
- If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- If you are asked to provide your private financial information — banking account numbers, social insurance number, passport/visa ID, etc.
- If you are asked to accept or send cash, money orders, bitcoin, or gift cards.
- The person claims to hold a position of authority — such as a government official, tax officer, banking officer, etc.
- The person asks you many personal questions and attempts to be overly friendly.
Actions to protect yourself
- Be wary of unsolicited e-mails, text messages, telephone calls or mail asking for your personal information.
- Check your credit reports, bank and credit card statements and report any irregularities immediately.
- Shred personal and financial documents before putting them in the garbage.
- Retrieve your mail on a regular basis to limit possible mail theft.
- When you move, notify the post office and your financial institutions and service providers.
Details from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
What to do if you are a victim
Do not feel ashamed — many people do not report that they have been victimized but early reporting is the only way to protect further damage to your finances and to prevent others from becoming victims.- Gather all information about the fraud or scam (ie documents, receipts, emails, text messages).
- Contact your financial institutions.
- Report the incident to your local police force or RCMP. Keep a log of all phone calls made – who you talked with, date, time, actions, etc.
- Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center
- Report to credit bureaus to place flags on all accounts
Details from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
