10.5.6 Summary of key messages

• Seniors can be vulnerable to financial fraud. They are often approached through affinity groups with pitches for fraudulent or high-risk investments. They may also succumb to aggressive sales tactics.
• Ways to protect yourself from financial fraud include:
  • ensuring that the person selling you an investment is registered with a provincial or territorial securities regulator
  • never sharing personal information unless it is with an authorized individual and you have complete trust and confidence in the person
  • avoiding offers that sound too good to be true
  • never investing with a salesperson who pressures you, acts evasive or asks you to keep matters secret.
• If you are approached or fall victim to a fraud, contact your local police or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and your provincial or territorial securities regulator.

At the end of the module, you will find an Action plan. This is a tool that you can use to track your progress and take the next steps to save for your retirement. Use the action plan as a roadmap for financial action!