THINK

Stay calm. Gather all information about the fraud, including:

• documents;
• receipts;
• copies of emails or text messages.

CONTACT YOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

Report the incident to the financial institution that transferred the money.

If you are a victim of identity theft:

• have a warning note added to all your accounts;
• change all your passwords;
• report the fraud to both credit bureaus (Equifax and TransUnion).

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL POLICE SERVICE

Report the incident to your local police service and obtain a file number for future use. If you notice suspicious transactions in your credit report, update your file with your police service.

REPORT THE INCIDENT

Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by calling 1-888-495-8501 (toll-free) or through the Fraud Reporting System.

Depending on the type of fraud or how it occurred, it may be useful to report it to other organizations.

ONLINE OR WEBSITE FRAUD

Report the incident directly to the site administrators. You can use the “Report Abuse“ or “Reporst an Ad“ links for this purpose.

MAIL DIVERSION

If you suspect someone is diverting your mail, contact Canada Post. You should also notify your service providers (telephone, cell phone, electricity, water, gas, etc.).

LOSS, THEFT, OR FRAUDULENT USE OF IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS

Contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada if:

• your immigration documents have been lost or stolen;
• you suspect someone is fraudulently using your documents.

LOSS OR THEFT OF PASSPORT

If your passport is lost or stolen, report the circumstances of the loss or theft to Passport Canada and the local police service. If you are abroad, you must report the loss or theft to the nearest Canadian government office abroad.

THEFT OF SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBER

Know what to do if you believe someone is using your Social Insurance Number (SIN).

LOSS OR THEFT OF PROVINCIAL OR TERRITORIAL IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS

These documents include:

• your birth certificate;
• your driver's license;
• your health card;
• any other document issued by a province or territory.

CONTACT THE ISSUING AUTHORITY IMMEDIATELY TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE SITUATION IF:

• the document has been lost or stolen;
• you believe someone is fraudulently using the information contained in these documents.

You can find the contact information for these agencies on the websites of provincial and territorial governments.

AVOID BEING A VICTIM OF FRAUD AGAIN

Scammers often target their victims a second or third time by making them believe they will recover the lost money. Always verify and never send funds to recover your money.

Share any updates with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, your financial institutions, and the police.

Discuss your experience with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. You could prevent them from becoming victims in turn.