**** Canadian Anti-Frayd Centre Release

Holiday scams and fraud

The holiday season brings a rise in certain types of scams and fraud. Protect your wallet and personal information by learning about the popular holiday scams and fraud below.

Counterfeit merchandise

Counterfeiters can easily create websites that look like legitimate manufacturers and offer products at a huge discount. Protect yourself by:

thoroughly researching a website before purchasing from it
searching for warnings posted online about the seller/website
looking for red flags on the website

Selling goods and services online

When buying and selling online, both buyers and sellers need to be aware that not all offers are trustworthy. Watch out for buyers who will attempt to not pay you or who are trying to access your personal information.

Fake charities

The end of the year is a busy season for charities looking for donations. Fraudsters know this and will use the names of legitimate charities to collect money from well-intentioned consumers. Confirm the charity is registered with Canada Revenue Agency before providing any personal or financial information.

Romance scams

Watch out for people 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 and, consequently, access to your wallet. Make sure you really know who you’re talking to.

Phishing emails and texts

You may receive messages claiming to be from a recognizable source (e.g. financial institution, telecommunications company, service provider, shipping company) asking you to submit or confirm your information. They may even include a malicious link.

Secret Santa

You may have noticed multiple gift exchange posts on your social media feeds. This may seem like a fun activity where you only have to send one gift and receive multiples in return. Unfortunately, this exchange collects some of your personal information and also hides a pyramid scheme where only those on the top profit. Pyramid schemes are illegal in Canada.

Prize notifications

You may receive a letter or a call with the good news that you have won something but need to pay a fee first, but these are often methods of stealing your money or personal information.

Emergency

Is a supposed loved one reaching out to you because they need money now and you’re the only one they trust to keep it a secret? Resist the urge to act immediately and verify the person’s identity by asking them questions a stranger wouldn’t know.

Gift cards

Gift cards are a popular and convenient way to give a gift. 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; especially with a time pressure.

Identity theft and fraud