Canada Scams: Fraud, Impersonation & Online Crime Guide
Common scams targeting Canadians and how to report them to the CAFC, your bank, and local police.
Emergency number: 911 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Canada experiences high rates of phone and email fraud, government impersonation, investment scams, and romance fraud. Common tactics include callers posing as the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) demanding tax payments, tech support impersonators seeking remote access to computers, and romantic relationships that lead to cryptocurrency investment losses. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) and the RCMP's National Cybercrime Coordination Centre operate a unified reporting portal at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca.
Two scams deserve particular attention because they hit Canadians hard. The grandparent (or 'emergency') scam calls seniors with a supposed grandchild — sometimes an AI-cloned voice — in jail or hospital and needing bail money urgently, often followed by a fake lawyer and, in aggressive variants, a courier sent to collect cash at the door. The 'bank investigator' scam has a caller posing as your bank's fraud team or police, claiming staff at your branch are under investigation, and asking you to 'help' by withdrawing cash or moving funds — sometimes even telling you to lie to tellers. No bank or police force ever recruits customers into investigations.
Day-to-day, watch for Interac e-Transfer interception (weak security questions let fraudsters deposit transfers meant for you — enable autodeposit), fake rental listings in tight housing markets that collect deposits sight-unseen, delivery smishing impersonating Canada Post, and crypto-ATM payment demands from 'CRA' or 'police' callers, which are always fraudulent. Investment fraud, especially pig-butchering that begins on dating apps or with a friendly wrong-number text, causes the largest losses; affinity fraud inside community and religious groups also persists. Report to your bank first when money has moved, then the CAFC, local police, and your provincial securities regulator for investment schemes — quick, well-documented reports genuinely help disrupt these networks.
Common scams
- CRA (tax authority) impersonation demanding payment by gift card or crypto
- Tech support scams seeking remote computer access
- Romance and pig-butchering crypto investment fraud
- Investment fraud and fake trading platforms
Tourist-specific scams
- Overpriced or unlicensed airport taxi services
- Ticket resale scams for events and sports
- Fake vacation-rental and cottage listings taken by e-Transfer
Online shopping scams
- Phishing emails impersonating banks or Canada Post
- Marketplace non-delivery and fake rental listings
- Delivery smishing (parcel fee text messages)
- Interac e-Transfer interception where autodeposit is not enabled
Job scams
- Task scams paying small amounts then requiring deposits
- Fake job offers requiring upfront fees or equipment purchases
- Overpayment 'cheque' scams asking you to refund the difference
Romance scams
- Dating-app and social media romance leading to crypto investment grooming
- Long-distance relationship scams with escalating financial requests
- Grandparent 'emergency' calls using cloned voices and fake lawyers
Investment scams
- Fake trading platforms and crypto 'AI bot' schemes
- Affinity fraud targeting community or religious groups
- Celebrity-deepfake crypto ads on social media
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank immediately to report and attempt to freeze fraudulent transfers
- Report fraud and cybercrime at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca or call 1-888-495-8501
- Report to local police for criminal investigation
- For investment fraud, report to your provincial securities regulator
Local reporting & protection links
- Cybercrime reporting
- Consumer protection
- Police
- Provincial securities regulators — Contact your province's securities commission for investment fraud
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Contact your bank immediately using the number on your card - not any number provided by a caller - because Canadian banks can attempt to recall or flag some transfers if notified quickly. Say plainly that you were deceived into authorising the payment, ask for the receiving account to be reported, and keep the reference number for your report. For Interac e-Transfers, ask whether the transfer has been deposited yet — undeposited transfers can be cancelled, and enabling autodeposit prevents interception going forward. The CRA and legitimate government agencies will never demand payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, crypto ATM, or wire transfer under threat of arrest, and no bank 'investigation' ever requires you to withdraw cash or mislead branch staff. If you shared credentials or allowed remote access, change your passwords from a clean device, ask about a new card, and consider placing fraud alerts with Equifax and TransUnion if identity details were exposed.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
Does the CRA demand immediate payment by gift card or crypto?
No. The Canada Revenue Agency will never demand immediate payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer, nor threaten arrest by phone. Such contact is a scam — hang up and report to the CAFC.
Where should I report a scam in Canada?
Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. Also report to your local police and contact your bank right away.
Can I report anonymously?
Yes. The CAFC reporting system at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca allows anonymous submissions.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance