Scams

Reporting Scams and Frauds

Resources

• Personal Information and Scams Protection - A Canadian Practical Guide
• Personal Information and Scams Protection: A Student Practical Guide

Advance Fee Fraud
Fraud which requires a payment
before delivery of service

• Advance Fee Fraud
• Prize Pitch (Lottery)
• West-African letter

Online Auction Fraud
Fraud perpetrated through purchases on-line or
peer- to-peer

• On-line Auction Fraud

Identity Fraud
Theft or misrepresentation of personal information for fraudulent purposes

• Identity Theft
• Phishing
• Vishing

Investment Fraud
Fraud associated with investments impacting a person or company

• Investment Fraud
• Prime Bank
• Stock Exchange Transaction Fraud
• Insider Trading

Counterfeit
Frauds associated with counterfeit currency or payment cards

• Counterfeiting
• Counterfeiting and Credit Card Fraud
• Counterfeit Payment Cards

Other

• Auto-dial programs
• Business Opportunity to Become the "Middleman"
• Charitable donations
• Charitable donations - RCMP Fallen Members
• Common Experience Payments - Indian Residential School Legacy
• Department of Finance Canada E-mail Fraud Alert
• Items for Sale and Overpayment of Goods
• Pentagono Scheme
• Ponzi Schemes
• Pyramid Schemes
• Telephone Fraud

Established in January of 1993, PhoneBusters is the national deceptive telemarketing call centre, operated by the Ontario Provincial Police. <<read more>>	Reporting Economic Crime Online (RECOL) is an initiative that involves an integrated partnership between International, Federal and Provincial Law Enforcement agencies. <<read more>>

Links

• ABC's of Fraud - Online Fraud Quiz

Reporting Scams and Frauds - FAQ's

1. I am the victim of a fraud/scam. What should I do? Who should I contact?
2. I received a fraudulent email, who should I report this to?
3. I received a Nigerian/West-African letter in my e-mail. Where should I send it?

1. I am the victim of a fraud/scam. What should I do? Who should I contact?

• To report a fraud if you live in Canada:
  • contact your local RCMP Detachment or the police service of jurisdiction in your area.
  • go to the RCMP's Reporting Economic Crime On-Line (RECOL) website.
    
    
• To report a fraud If you live outside Canada:
  • Please contact your local police service and ask them to make a request for assistance from the appropriate Canadian law enforcement agency.
  • U.S. Residents: Please contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center. If necessary, they will contact the appropriate law enforcement agency in Canada

2. I received a fraudulent email. Who should I report this to?

• Please forward the email to our intelligence gathering unit at PhoneBusters, The Canadian Anti-fraud Call Centre (CAFCC). The CAFCC is a joint operation between the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the RCMP and the Competition Bureau that gathers intelligence from several police services, other regulatory agencies and the general public at large. They coordinate and channel intelligence and complaints to the police service of jurisdiction. This effort depends on the significance and frequency of these complaints.

3. I received a Nigerian/West-African letter in my e-mail. Where should I send it?

• Please forward Nigerian/West-African letters to PhoneBusters, The Canadian Anti-fraud Call Centre (CAFCC). The CAFCC is a joint partnership involving the Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP and the Competition Bureau. Phonebusters is very interested in receiving copies of any 'new' versions of Nigerian letter scheme, particularly those involving Canadian mailing addresses or telephone numbers.