Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre warning public of multiple notorious holiday scams
The Christmas season is a time of giving. But for scammers and fraudsters, it’s a time for taking.
During the holidays, fraudsters become more notorious and shifty when trying to get your money.
“The scammers are becoming more and more advanced with technology and it’s almost impossible as well to capture them because they do use fake IDs and fake websites,” said Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre Team Supervisor Sue Labine.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is warning Canadians about the most pesky scams that float around during the holidays. There are 12 unique scams the anti-fraud centre wants you to watch out for:
-
Counterfeit merchandise: where websites are created to look like legitimate manufacturers and offer products at a cheap rate.
-
Selling goods and services: when buying and selling online, both buyers and sellers need to be aware that not all offers are trustworthy. Buyers will try to not pay you or are trying to access your personal information.
-
Fake charities: where fraudsters will use the names of legitimate charities to collect money from those donating.
-
Crypto investment scams: where scammers are using social media and fraudulent websites to lure Canadians into crypto investments.
-
Online Shopping scams: where scammers pose as genuine sellers and post fake ads for items that do not exist. The listing price for almost any item is usually too good to be true.
-
Romance scams: scammers try to play on your emotions and will try entering a relationship with you for the purpose of taking your money or personal information. They will say anything in order to gain your trust.
-
Identify theft and fraud: in all the hustle and bustle of the season, keep your wallet on your person and cover your PIN. While at the same time, don’t share passwords or provide your personal information on impulse.
-
Phishing emails and texts: you may receive messages claiming to be from a recognizable source asking you to submit or confirm your information. They may even include a malicious link.
-
Secret Santa scams: where you may have noticed multiple gift exchange posts on social media. This may seem like a fun activity where you only have to send one gift and receive multiples in return. This scam collects personal information and also hides a pyramid scheme where only those on the top profit.
-
Prize notifications: where you may receive a letter or a call with the good news that you have won something but need to pay a fee first. These methods try and steal your money or personal information.
-
Gift card scams: they should also be considered like cash. Once they are exchanged, it is unlikely that you are getting your money back. Gift cards are not meant for payments and no legitimate business or organization will request these.
- Emergency scams: where a supposed loved one is reaching out to you because they need money. You can verify the person's identity by asking them questions a stranger wouldn't know.
“Make sure sure you do your due diligence,” said Labine. “If it’s too good to be true, it’s definitely a red flag.”
Canadians have lost $163 million to various scams this year as compared to $106 million in 2020. In North Bay, reports of fraud is up 9 per cent this year as compared to last year. Police say romance scams are currently making the rounds.
“People who find themselves alone especially at this time of year can be become susceptible to these fraudsters that are professionals,” said North Bay Police Det. Const. Zach Dagg.
Anyone who feels they’ve fallen victim to a scam should notify their local police agency and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.