Frauds and Scams
Scams and frauds are common - and they can happen to anyone. If something feels urgent, threatening or too good to be true, pause before you take action to double check the information you've been told.
Fraud is one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada. However, these crimes remain significantly under reported. Victims of fraud suffer financial loss, emotional distress and long-term psychological harm. But we’re here to help.
Common warning signs
Scams are designed to be convincing. Here are some of the warning signs to watch for:
- They pressure you to act right away and create a sense of urgency, so you don’t have time to think or check
- They ask you for unusual payment methods like gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers
- They tell you to keep it secret and not talk to family, police or your bank
- They contacted you – you didn’t contact them
- They ask you for personal information like passwords, PINs or remote access to your devices