Fake Service Canada Stimulus or Cost-of-Living Payment Scam
Scammers send texts and emails impersonating Service Canada, claiming a one-time cost-of-living or inflation relief payment has been approved for the recipient and that banking details must be submitted via a link to receive it. Real Canadian government one-off payments are deposited automatically or claimed through official portals — not through unsolicited SMS links.
Part of: Fake Stimulus Payment Scams
Last reviewed: 7 June 2026
Canada has periodically introduced cost-of-living relief measures, inflation rebates, and one-off benefit supplements. Each time a genuine payment is announced, scammers rapidly deploy Service Canada-branded messages designed to intercept recipients who may be confused about eligibility or the claiming process.
The mechanics mirror other stimulus scams: an official-looking message claims a payment has been approved, a deadline is mentioned, and a link is provided to 'register' banking details. Once entered, the details are used for fraudulent withdrawals or redirecting existing benefit payments.
Real federal one-off payments in Canada are typically administered through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and deposited directly to the bank account associated with the recipient's CRA My Account — no separate registration via a Service Canada link is ever required.
How this scam works on the Service Canada brand
Texts read: 'Service Canada: A one-time cost-of-living supplement of $XXX has been approved for your account. Register your payment details before [date]: [link].' The link opens a convincing clone of the canada.ca login page, collecting GCKey or Sign-In Canada credentials.
Email variants use Service Canada and CRA logos together, referencing specific federal programme names from real government announcements to appear timely. The email claims a separate 'top-up' or 'supplement' on top of existing benefits that must be claimed through a unique portal.
Once credentials are compromised, the scammer logs in to the victim's My Service Canada Account and changes banking information, diverting upcoming EI, CPP, or OAS payments to a new account.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited text or email about a Service Canada stimulus or supplement payment requiring a link
- Link does not go to canada.ca
- Request to 'register' or 'update' banking details through an external link
- No corresponding official announcement on canada.ca about this specific payment
- Deadline pressure to claim before a date
- Email address is not from a @canada.ca or @servicecanada.gc.ca domain
- No corresponding message in your My Service Canada Account
How to protect yourself
- Log in directly to My Service Canada Account at canada.ca or CRA My Account at canada.ca/my-cra-account to check for real payment notices
- Verify any payment programme at canada.ca — official programmes are listed there
- Never enter GCKey credentials on a page reached via an unsolicited link
- Call Service Canada at 1-800-206-7218 to ask about any genuine payments you may be eligible for
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726
How to report it
- Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca
- Report to Service Canada fraud line: 1-800-206-7218
- Report phishing to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security at cyber.gc.ca
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726
- If banking details were changed, contact your bank and Service Canada immediately
Frequently asked questions
How do real Canadian cost-of-living payments reach recipients?
Federal one-off relief payments in Canada are typically deposited automatically via the CRA to the bank account associated with your CRA My Account, or issued by cheque. No separate banking registration via an SMS link is required.
Can I check if a payment is real on canada.ca?
Yes. All legitimate federal payment programmes are listed on canada.ca. If you cannot find the programme described in the message there, it is likely fraudulent.
What if my My Service Canada Account banking details were changed?
Call Service Canada immediately at 1-800-206-7218, change your GCKey password, and report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Contact your bank about any unauthorised transactions.