12.2.7 What to do if you become a victim of fraud

Did you know that nearly nine in 10 victims or targets do not report the fraud attempt to police or talk about it with anyone? Hiding fraud helps fraudsters get away with their crimes.

If you or someone you know becomes a victim of identity theft or financial fraud, or if you have been approached by a fraudster, here's what to do:

Type of fraud or scam

Whom to contact

Identity theft or Internet fraud

Investment fraud

Tax fraud or a questionable charitable organization

Consumer fraud or fraudulent business activity

Credit card and debit card fraud

General frauds

Protecting financial consumers

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is an independent body working to protect and inform consumers of financial services. As a federal regulatory agency, the FCAC is responsible for monitoring financial institutions' compliance with codes of conduct and their own public commitments to protect the interests of consumers.

If you are a victim of credit card fraud, you may be protected by one of the consumer protection policies set in place by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Some conditions may apply. For more information on this protection, contact your credit card issuer and ask about the Public Commitment on Zero Liability, the Visa E-Promise or the Fraud Protection Guarantee. FCAC makes sure that financial institutions under federal responsibility honour these commitments.

If you are a victim of debit card fraud, the Canadian Code of Practice for Consumer Debit Card Services can protect you. Contact your financial institution to get more information on the Code. FCAC makes sure that federally regulated financial institutions comply with this code of conduct. If you have difficulty getting your complaint resolved, contact FCAC at 1-866-461-3222.

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