Moose Mail™🛡️ Scam Safety
Spot it, stop it, report it. The scams change; the tricks stay the same.
The Five Red Flags
Almost every scam in Canada waves at least one of these. If you see one, slow down. If you see two, stop.
1. Urgency. "Act now or else." A real bank, a real government office, and a real police officer will never rush you into paying on the spot.
2. Secrecy. "Do not tell anyone." Scammers want you alone. The moment someone asks you to keep a payment secret, that is the moment to tell someone.
3. Unusual payment. Gift cards, cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, or e-Transfer to a stranger. No legitimate organization takes payment that way.
4. Impersonation. A familiar name, a copied logo, a voice that sounds like someone you trust. Caller ID, email addresses, and even video can all be faked now.
5. Too good to be true. Guaranteed returns, a prize you never entered, a refund you never asked for. If it sounds too good, it is.
Scams Going Around Right Now
Checked November 11, 2026, against Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre bulletins. This list is refreshed regularly; the red flags above never go out of date.
Investment and crypto fraud. The biggest losses in Canada right now: fake trading platforms and crypto schemes promoted through social media ads, often with deepfake videos of public figures. The Anti-Fraud Centre's advice is blunt: assume any video of a public figure promoting an investment is fake until you have verified it yourself. Before investing a dollar, check the seller is registered at aretheyregistered.ca.
The bank investigator. A caller says your account has been hacked and tells you to buy gold, or withdraw cash, to "protect" your money. Then a fake police officer arrives to collect it. Real banks never ask you to buy gold or hand money to a courier. Reported in several provinces this fall.
CRA impersonation. Calls, texts, and emails claiming to be the Canada Revenue Agency, demanding payment and threatening arrest or deportation. The CRA never demands immediate payment by e-Transfer, cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, or gift cards, and never threatens arrest.
Refund texts. Texts claiming a refund is waiting, often impersonating a government body. Government refunds arrive by direct deposit, cheque, or your official account, never through a link in a text. Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can block them.
Recovery scams. After someone loses money, a "lawyer", "regulator", or even someone claiming to be the Anti-Fraud Centre offers to get it back for an upfront fee. Never pay upfront to recover money lost to fraud. The Anti-Fraud Centre never charges for its help.
If You Got Caught
It happens to careful people. Scammers are professionals, and shame is part of their business model. Do not let it stop you from acting.
1. Call your bank's fraud line first. The sooner they know, the better the chance of stopping a payment.
2. Report it to your local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (below). Report even if you lost nothing: your report warns the next person.
3. Change any password or PIN you shared, and watch your accounts and credit report for a few weeks.
How to Report a Scam
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca, or by phone at 1-888-495-8501 (Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Eastern).
Scam texts: forward to 7726.
Your local police: always, if money was lost.
Last checked November 11, 2026. Sources: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre bulletins and the Canada Revenue Agency's scam guidance.
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