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Frequently Asked Questions by Department |
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| Government of Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police | |
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| Q: | Can you tell me whether X Ltd. is a multi-level-marketing/pyramid scam or a legitimate enterprise that I can safely do business with? |
| A: |
Contact The Better Business Bureau ( www.bbb.org ), your local police service, or Industry Canada to obtain additional information about the enterprise. Also, consult our pyramid schemes file at
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams/pyramid.htm.
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| Q: | How do I report what I consider to be criminal activity perpetrated over the Internet? |
| A: |
To report a crime, or for immediate police assistance, contact your local RCMP Detachment or the police service of jurisdiction in your area.
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| Q: | I just received what I think is an investment scam/fraud letter in my e-mail. What should I do? Where should I send the information? |
| A: |
Submit the letter to us http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/contact/scams_e.htm and we will forward it to the appropriate area or agency. If you wish to submit information anonymously, please at least indicate your general location to help us with the forwarding process.
For further information, visit the RCMP's Scams page http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams/index_e.htm. You can also find useful information at the Better Business Bureau site (www.bbb.org).
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| Q: | I keep receiving unsolicited phone calls from a telemarketing company. The whole thing sounds like a scam to me. What should I do? |
| A: |
If possible, collect as much information as possible, such as:
Be careful if the caller insists that you make a financial commitment immediately, and, unless you're certain the organization is legitimate, be especially careful about disclosing any personal banking or credit card information. Do not feel intimidated: Ask for written information, a call back number, references, and more time to think the "offer" over. If the caller persists, do not hesitate to hang up. You can also contact Project PhoneBusters (or SeniorBusters**) to lodge a formal complaint:
Phone (toll-free): 1-888-495-8501 For helpful tips and useful information about the latest telephone scams, visit: http://www.phonebusters.com/english/index.html and/or http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams/tfraud_e.htm. **SeniorBusters is a volunteer group that works with PhoneBusters to provide telephone support and information to seniors victimized by telemarketers.
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| Q: | I live outside of Canada and I have been defrauded by an individual/company in Canada. Can you investigate or is there anything you can do to help? |
| A: |
Please contact your local police service and ask them to make a request for assistance from the appropriate Canadian law enforcement agency.
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| Q: | Where do I find a file on wanted persons? |
| A: | For more information check out the Crime Stoppers resources and other sites of interest from our links page, or the "Wanted by the RCMP" files. |
| Q: | While surfing the Internet, I saw what I believe to be illegal pornographic material and/or hate literature. What is being done about prosecuting these types of crimes? |
| A: |
By and large, Internet crimes are regulated by the Criminal Code of Canada for which enforcement responsibility normally rests with the police agency of local jurisdiction. Internet crimes – distribution of child pornography, hate propaganda, pyramid schemes, and so on – are traditional crimes committed using an electronic medium and should be referred to the local police service for investigation.
You can contact your local police or RCMP Detachment and at the same time voice your concerns with the Internet Service Provider (ISP) hosting the offensive material. The Canadian Association of Internet Providers (www.caip.ca) would also welcome your comments or concerns in regards to Canadian ISPs.
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| Last Updated: 2006-11-3 |
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