Scams and fraud
Year-to-date:
As of June 30, 2023
- Reports of fraud:
32,458
(92,078 in 2022) - Victims of fraud:
21,299
(57,578 in 2022) - Lost to fraud:
$283.5 M
($531 M in 2022)
Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Report a scam
If you or a family member have been contacted by a scammer, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
-
Online reporting: Submit a report online
-
Call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll free:
- 1-888-495-8501
- Monday – Friday 9AM – 4:45PM EST
Learn the signs of a scam
Many scams and frauds attempt to imitate government services in order to gain access to your personal and financial information. It may be a scam if someone is:
- Demanding immediate payment
- Requesting payment with cryptocurrency or gift cards
- Using threatening language
- Sending you a link to click on
- Asking for personal or financial information
Learn what to expect if we contact you and how to help protect yourself from scams and fraud.
- Messages claiming to be from Service Canada or 1 800 O-Canada
- Messages claiming to be from Canada Revenue Agency
- Messages claiming to be from Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada
- Messages claiming to be from Canada Border Services Agency
Types of Government of Canada related scams and fraud
- Phone call scams
- Prepaid cards, bitcoin, e-transfer payment scams
- Email scams
- Text messages/instant messaging scams
- Mail scams
- Common scams aimed at newcomers to Canada
Protecting yourself
- Stay safe online
- Protect yourself from scams and fraud
- Protect your Social Insurance Number
- Protect your financial information
Other helpful links
Phone call scams
People trying to steal your personal information will pretend to be Government of Canada employees. If someone calls you saying they are from the Government of Canada, there are ways you can verify it’s official government communication.
For example, if the caller is claiming to be from CRA, you can ask for the caller's name, work section, and office location and tell them that you want to first verify their identity.
For more information visit:
Poster
This print-ready poster gives some tips on how to be scam smart. Available in 11 languages.
Video: Spot the red flags
Email scams
In some cases, the Government of Canada will send you an email. For example, The Canada Revenue Agency may notify you by email when a new message or a document, such as a notice of assessment or reassessment, is available for you to view in secure CRA portals.
Scammers will try to imitate the government and send fake emails requesting personal or financial information. These are called phishing emails. Make sure you delete phishing emails and do not click on any links; they can carry harmful viruses that can infect your computer.
For more information visit:
Poster
This print-ready poster gives some tips on how to be scam smart. Available in 11 languages.
Video: Protect your personal information
Text messages/instant messaging scams
The Government of Canada will not send texts asking you:
- For personal information
- To verify if your Social Insurance Number has been stolen
- To receive a tax refund
- To make a payment
- To receive your Employment Insurance payment
For more information visit:
Poster
This print-ready poster gives some tips on how to be scam smart. Available in 11 languages.
Video: Is the CRA texting me?
Not sure if it's us contacting you? Watch our videos to learn more.
Using the same password? Take the quiz and find out how secure your online accounts are.
Posters
These print-ready posters give some tips on how to be scam smart. Available in 11 languages.
Published: 2022-11-29
- Date modified: