March is Fraud Prevention Month, and authorities across the country are working together to keep residents safe.
Officials with the OPP, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, RCMP, and the Competition Bureau of Canada say Ontario consumers and businesses need to know more about some of the most common fraud techniques in the marketplace right now.
Officials say the number of frauds being reported is on the rise, particularly with the growing use of technology in all demographic groups.
Last year, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received fraud reports totalling a staggering $530 million in victim losses. This was nearly a 40% increase from the 2021, unprecedented $380 million in losses.
The top scams in Canada in 2022 included investment frauds with a reported $308-million in reported losses; $59 million in losses connected to romance frauds, and $58 million in losses from spear phishing or business email frauds.
If you fall victim to a fraud or know someone who has, contact your local police service to report the crime and report it to the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or online on the Fraud Reporting System (FRS), even if a financial loss did not occur.