RCMP Warns About COVID Scams
The RCMP is warning Canadians to use extra caution to avoid becoming the victim of a COVID scam. More than 9,700 Canadians reported falling victim to a scam between March 6, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2021.
One type of scam is phishing scams, which involves requests for personal information by email and text that look like they are from the Government of Canada. Federal departments and agencies do not solicit personal information via emails or texts.
Tips for protecting yourself
- If you feel you are on the verge of being victimized, take a step back and reach out to a trusted person or an official source for advice.
- Do not respond to unsolicited emails, texts or phone calls with urgent or coercive demands. If it sounds too good to be true, it is usually fake.
- Don’t feel pressured into providing personal information or money.
Watch the RCMP’s short video “Don’t be fooled by scams” to learn more about tips on scams and how to avoid them.
Report fraud immediately by contacting the police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or at 1-888-495-8501.
