Interested in increasing your awareness about the scams that target Canadians? The Competition Bureau Canada has put together information about some of the top scams in the country. Check out The Little Black Book of Scams (2nd edition) and learn tips, red flags, and detailed information about different scams.
Here are three of some of the general red flags to watch out for, according to the Competition Bureau.
3 red flags to watch out for from The Little Black Book of Scams
- Spelling mistakes: Be skeptical of emails, messages or websites that contain misspelled common words; grammar errors that make it difficult to read or expressions that are used incorrectly. Email and web addresses should also be examined closely to see if there are subtle mistakes or differences.
- Personal information request: Fraudsters may ask potential victims to provide more personal or financial information than is required for the transaction or discussion. Be suspicious if someone asks for copies of your passport, driver’s licence and social insurance number, or birth date, especially if you don’t know the requestor.
- Unsolicited calls: You might get a call from someone claiming that you have a virus on your computer, you owe taxes or there has been fraudulent activity in your bank accounts. Know that legitimate organizations will not call you directly. Hang up and call the organization yourself using the number from a trustworthy source, such as the phone book, their website, or even invoices and account statements.
Every year, Canadians lose millions of dollars to scammers. To find out more about scams in Canada and how you can protect yourself, visit The Little Black Book of Scams. A PDF version is also available.
ADDITIONAL READING
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About Consumer Protection BC
We are responsible for regulating specific industries and certain consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will be happy to provide you with as much information as possible. Depending on your concern, another organization may be the ones to speak to; other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.
Hello i was called by a person claiming to be a organization for people who owe money they told me no fees up front then towards the end of our conversstion asked me for 300$ i ssid i dont think so they claim to be based in Calgary and are a goverment approved one they are on fb and are cslled CCDR can you please let ne know what i should do
Hi Bert, thank you for your question. I don’t think I understand. Was this a debt repayment agency? We have some information on our website about your rights around debt repayment agents here. You can also do a search of the full business name on our website too, to confirm they are licensed to work in BC. Are you located in BC?
Good afternoon,
I’ve seen the booklet version of the Little Black Book of Scams and we want to do a presentation for our seniors. We wish to distribute this wonderful tool to our members. Is it possible to receive 25 copies of this book?
Hi Nathalie, thanks for reaching out to us here. The Little Black Book of Scams is prepared by the Competition Bureau (their website is linked in this blog post). If you would like to download PDF’s of the books or inquire about receiving copies, they would be the folks to talk to. Thanks!