Is it a Scam?

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How to Recognize a Scam

There are many types of scams that involve fraudsters attempting to pass themselves off as someone in authority. They may impersonate a police officer or an employee of a business, financial institution or government agency such as legal services Canada.

Your best defense against becoming a victim is knowledge and awareness.

Signs of a scam

• Unsolicited phone call, email or text.
• …Urgent or threatening language used.
• …Request for personal information such as name, address, birthdate, social insurance number, credit card or banking information.
• Serious unfounded claims like: You will be arrested, A warrant has been issued for your arrest, A lawsuit has been filed against you, You are getting a refund, or You will be deported.
• Demand for payment by e-transfer, pre-paid credit card, gift cards, or online currency (ex. Bitcoin).

DO NOT interact

• Hang up immediately.
• Do not respond to email or text.
• When in doubt, hang up and call the organization (police, CRA, etc.) yourself using publically available contact information.

Report It

• Whether you made a payment or not, report scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or www.antifraudcentre.ca.
• If you made a payment, contact your financial institution that transferred the money, and report the incident to police.

For more information on how to protect yourself from scams and frauds, visit surrey.rcmp.ca.