Fraud and other scams

Identity theft involves stealing personal information for criminal purposes. A malicious person may use it to: 

• Apply for a loan, a credit card, or open an account. 
• Access a bank account to steal or transfer money. 
• Make purchases. 
• Identify themselves as you during a police intervention. 

• By stealing mail, a handbag, or a wallet. 
• By rummaging through trash to recover bills or bank statements. 
• Through phishing techniques via email, text message, or phone. [internal links] 

Through electronic means (email, web, text message) or over the phone, look for these signs of fraud: 

• Generic or non-personalized messages. 
• Urgent action requests. 
• Spelling or grammar mistakes. 
• A web link without context or explanation. 
• An unsecured website address: 
  • No “s” in “https”; 
  • No padlock symbol. 
• An unusual website appearance. 
• A call from an unknown number or an unfamiliar area code. 

Do not respond to emails, texts, or calls requesting personal or financial information. 

Regularly monitor your bank account statements and report any irregularities. 

Shred documents containing personal information. 

Empty your mailbox regularly to reduce the risk of mail theft. 

Phishing is used to steal identities for fraudulent purposes. Here are the most frequent scams: 

1. Fake Representative Fraud 
   A person contacts you by phone, text, or email, pretending to be from the government or police. They claim you have unpaid taxes or an incomplete file. To pressure you, they demand immediate payment or personal information, threatening fines or arrest. They ask for payment via credit card, debit, or other means. 
2. Fake Tax Fraud 
   A scammer, posing as a police service, claims your social insurance card is compromised. They ask for banking details, request a large withdrawal, and send a QR code for a cryptocurrency deposit. They may even arrange for a taxi to take you to a Bitcoin ATM. They stay on the line throughout the process, giving instructions and becoming aggressive if you hesitate, even threatening to call the police. 
3. Fake Debt Collection 
   A scammer claims to be from a collection agency and pressures you to pay a fake debt. 
4. Grandparent Scam 
   This fraud targets seniors. The scammer impersonates a family member in distress (accident, arrest, etc.) and urgently requests money. To be more convincing, an accomplice may pretend to be a medical, legal, or police professional. The victim is instructed to withdraw cash secretly and hand it over to a courier. 
5. Fake Contest Scam
   A scammer claims you have won a prize but requires payment upfront to claim it. 
6. Bank Fraud Scam
   A scammer calls, claiming your bank cards are compromised. They instruct you to place your cards and PINs in an envelope and leave them in your mailbox, claiming that a police officer will collect them. The fraudsters then use the PINs to empty your accounts. 
7. CEO Fraud
   This scam targets small and medium businesses. A fraudster impersonates a senior executive and urgently requests a wire transfer. 

• Hang up when receiving a pre-recorded message. 
• Ignore calls from unknown numbers. 
• If a relative calls urgently asking for money, hang up and call them back to verify. Scammers can use AI to mimic a loved one’s voice. 
• Ask personal questions only the real person would know. 
• Alert your loved ones to suspicious situations. 
• Set a secret password with family members to verify identity. 
• Don’t be afraid to say no—even to a close person. 

Cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, is a virtual currency. Scammers promise high and fast returns on investment, leading victims to lose money and risk identity theft. 

Scammers take advantage of cryptocurrency’s difficulty to trace by: 

• Impersonating government officials to extort cryptocurrency. 
• Creating fake cryptocurrency exchange platforms. 
• Demanding payment for an online purchase. 
• Encouraging fake investments with high returns. 

Romance scams begin on dating sites or social media, where scammers quickly establish an emotional connection to extract money from their victims. 

How does romance fraud work? 

• The scammer creates a fake profile and expresses interest in a romantic relationship. 
• They declare love quickly, without ever meeting in person. 
• Once trust is established, they ask for money for an urgent situation (family illness, job loss, financial problems, travel expenses, customs issues, etc.). 
• They may also request explicit photos or videos, later using them for blackmail. 

• Lock your electronic devices. 
• Never share passwords. 
• Use antivirus, anti-spyware, and firewall protection, updating them regularly. 
• Regularly clear your browsing history and cache. 
• Never grant remote access to your computer to someone who calls unexpectedly. 
• Delete suspicious messages and avoid opening attachments—they may contain viruses. 
• Research platforms thoroughly before trusting them. 
• Use secure sites starting with https://. 
• Keep all cryptocurrency transaction records. 
• Never send money to a new romantic partner you haven’t met in person.