I Think I'm Being Scammed

If something feels off, trust your instincts. Scammers often target students because they may be new to handling money, housing, or job searches. Follow these steps to protect yourself immediately.

⏱️Time: 15-30 minutes

FraudSafetyEmergency

✓What to Do Now

Stop all communication

Don't reply to calls, texts, emails, or messages from the suspicious party.

Don't send any money or personal info

Never wire money, send gift cards, cryptocurrency, or share banking details, SIN, or passwords.

Take screenshots

Save all messages, emails, and website screenshots as evidence.

Report immediately

Contact local police (911 for emergency, non-emergency line otherwise). Report cybercrime and fraud online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca. Also report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC).

Check your accounts

Review bank accounts, credit cards, and credit reports for unauthorized activity.

Notify your bank

If you've shared banking info, call your bank immediately to freeze accounts if needed.

📞Who to Contact

Local Police

📱 Phone: 911 (emergency) or your local non-emergency line

When: For any immediate threat or if you've lost money

Your School's Student Services

📋 Contact: Contact through your school's website (see 'Supports at Your School' page)

When: For support and reporting scams targeting students

Report Cybercrime & Fraud (RCMP/CAFC)

📱 Phone: 1-888-495-8501

🌐 Website: reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca

When: To file an official fraud and cybercrime report online in Canada. This is the official RCMP/CAFC reporting portal.

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC)

📱 Phone: 1-888-495-8501

🌐 Website: antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca

When: For additional fraud resources and information

Consumer Protection BC

🌐 Website: consumerprotectionbc.ca

When: For consumer fraud and scam reporting in BC

🚩Red Flags

⚠️Asks for payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency
⚠️Pressure tactics: 'act now' or 'limited time offer'
⚠️Too good to be true: unexpected prize, scholarship, or job offer
⚠️Requests personal info: SIN, bank account, passwords, credit card numbers
⚠️Poor grammar, spelling errors, or unprofessional communication
⚠️Asks you to keep it secret or not tell anyone
⚠️Unsolicited contact from someone claiming to be government, bank, or university official
⚠️Requests payment upfront before you receive anything
⚠️Offers money but asks you to send some back first

📝Templates

Click "Copy" to copy any template to your clipboard, then paste and customize it.

Email to Student Services / Police Report

Subject: Suspected Scam Report Hello, I believe I may be the target of a scam. Here are the details: - Date of contact: [DATE] - Method of contact: [EMAIL/PHONE/TEXT] - What they claimed: [DETAILS] - What they asked for: [MONEY/INFO] - Did I provide anything: [YES/NO - details if yes] I have screenshots/documentation attached. Please advise on next steps. Thank you, [YOUR NAME] [STUDENT ID if contacting school]

Text Message Template (If They Keep Contacting)

I am not interested and will not respond further. All communications are being reported to authorities.

CAFC Report Summary

Date of incident: [DATE] Type of scam: [JOB/ROMANCE/SCHOLARSHIP/etc.] Loss amount: $[AMOUNT] CAD or None Contact method: [HOW THEY CONTACTED YOU] Key details: [WHAT HAPPENED] Evidence: Screenshots saved [LOCATION]

🎓Watch / Learn

🎥

How to Spot a Scam (Video)

Common scam tactics targeting students

📄

What to Do If You've Been Scammed

Step-by-step recovery guide