Seniors experiencing a loss of autonomy
Seniors victims of fraud: first steps to take
Do you think you may have been the victim of fraud? Whether the fraud is online, on the telephone, or in person, you can take action to protect yourself and avoid further consequences. Here are the first steps to take when that happens.
Would you like to help a friend or family member who has been the victim of fraud?
Follow the steps below to help inform the person about what to do in the event of fraud. You can then help them take the necessary steps. Please note, however, that some of these steps will generally have to be taken by the person themselves or, if they are incapacitated, by their legal representative (e.g., tutor or mandatary ), for reasons of confidentiality.
1. Take time to breathe and analyze the situation
When you think you're a victim of fraud, the first thing to do is take the time to analyze the situation carefully.
Gather all the information you have on fraud. To help you, try answering the following questions:
- Who committed the fraud? If you don’t know, do you have any suspicions? If so, who?
- How did it happen? What was the sequence of events?
- What approach was used to commit the fraud (e.g., telephone, online, in person, etc.)?
- Where was the fraud committed?
- When was the fraud committed?
Here are examples of the type of information and documents you should gather:
- The name used by the person who contacted you and what they asked you to do.
- The phone number used by the person who contacted you, if the fraud was committed by telephone.
- The receipt from the transaction, if you made a purchase, for example, with your credit card or by bank transfer.
- A copy of the text messages exchanged, if the person contacted you by text message.
- A copy of the fraudulent email you received, and, if possible, the sender’s IP address (if necessary, find out how to obtain an IP address through your email service provider - French only) if the person contacted you by email.
- The search terms you used on your search engine to find the fraudulent website and the exact address of the page consulted, if the fraud was committted online. You can also print or take screenshots of the web page.
Be sure to keep all this information and documentation in a safe place, as it will be useful throughout your next steps. It could even be useful in a police investigation or court case.
2. Change your passwords
Then change the passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs) on your online accounts and electronic devices (e.g., cell phone, computer, tablet, etc.) to further protect your personal information from cybercriminals.
What is your personal information? This is any information about you that identifies you, such as your social insurance number, driver's licence number, or bank account information.
Did you know?
Some websites allow you to check whether your passwords or other information, such as your email address or telephone number, have been compromised in a personal data leak.
For example the Have I been pwned (free). If you use Google Password Manager, the Password Checkup tool also allows you check whether your passwords saved in Android or Chrome have been compromised. Get more information if necessary.
3. Contact your financial institutions
Contact the financial institutions where you have accounts or that transferred the money to inform them of the situation (e.g., bank, credit union (e.g., Desjardins), credit card company, money service business, etc.).
Be sure to use only the contact details provided through official banking sources such as your online bank account, account statement, or the back of your debit or credit card.
You should also ask your financial institution so that it can take steps to better protect your accounts and personal information, such as adding a fraud alert to all your accounts.
Find out from your financial institution if you have fraud protection. If you do, you may be entitled to a refund for unauthorized transactions in your accounts.
Did someone else fraudulently use your credit card? Notify your card issuer of the fraud and, with certain exceptions, you shouldn’t have to pay for new transactions that you didh’t authorize. But even if you fail to notify the issuer, you’ll pay only $50.
Did you make a distance purchase using your credit cardonline or over the telephone, for example, and you think there was a fraud? You can cancel your purchase and be reimbursed. Here’s how:
- Check whether the purchase can be cancelled and how long you have to cancel it. Please note that this period varies according to the circumstances and can be very short.
- If your purchase can be cancelled, notify the merchant of the cancellation of your purchase within the prescribed deadline.
- If the merchant doesn’t reimburse you within 15 days after you send the notice of cancellation, file a chargeback request with the issuer of your credit card to have your account credited the amount of your purchase. You must file the request within 60 days of your purchase.
For more information, contact the Office de la protection du consommateur.
4. Contact your local police department
Contact your local police department as soon as possible to report the incident. By reporting the fraud, you’ll let the police know that the fraudsters exist and help combat fraud and cybercrime.
When you report the fraud to the police, you can also file a complaint as a victim of fraud, since it’s a criminal offence.
After receiving your complaint, the police might conduct an investigation. Depending on the outcome, the fraudster could be arrested and face criminal charges in court.
If you file a complaint, keep a record of your communication with the police and of your file number. Also notify the police if your situation changes – for example, if you notice other suspiscious transactions on your credit file – so that your file can be updated.
You can report fraud anonymously and confidentially. Here’s what to do:
- In the Montreal area, contact Info-Crime, at 514‑393‑1133 or online,
- Outside the Montreal area, contact Échec au crime, at 1‑800‑711‑1800 or online.
5. Report the fraud to the 2 national credit bureaus
Contact the two national credit bureaus, Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada, to inform them of the fraud and take steps to better protect your credit file.
First, request a copy of your credit file and check it for unauthorized transactions, such as a bank loan you didn’t know about. If you find information that isn’t yours, contact the financial institution that holds the account or where the loan application was made to check on the situation.
Also ask Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada to add a fraud alert to your credit file. A fraud alert lets the financial institutions where you have loans know that you were the victim of fraud, and they’ll be able to contact you before approving a new loan application. This will reduce your chances of becoming a fraud victim again.
Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada can also investigate the consequences of the fraud on your credit file and help you correct any inaccurate information on it.
6. Report the fraud to the organizations and companies that have personal information about you
If some of your personal information has been compromised during the fraud, contact the organizations and companies involved to inform them of the situation. Measures can then be put in place to better protect your personal information and reduce the risk of you becoming a victim of fraud again.
Here are some agencies you can notify:
- Revenu Québec: If your personal information was stolen or used fraudulently.
- Canada Revenue Agency: In some situations, for example if your personal or financial information (e.g., banking information) was changed without your authorization.
- Service providers ( e.g., telephone, cable, electricity, gas, etc.): If your personal information has been used fraudulently or if someone has attempted to use it. In these cases, be sure to change your passwords to better protect your customer accounts.
- Canada Post: If your mail was redirected. In this case, you can contact senders to ensure they have your correct mailing address.
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: If your immigration documents were stolen or used fraudulently.
- Canada Passport: If your passport was stolen. If it was stolen while you were abroad, report the theft to the closest Canadian government office abroad.
- Service Canada: If your social insurance number (SIN) was used fraudulently. You must go to the closest Service Canada office and provide proof that someone has used your SIN, a police report, and a valid primary identity document.
- Bodies that issue identity documents (e.g., the Registrar of Civil Status, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec, land the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec ): If one of your identity documents (e.g., birth certificate, driver’s licence, health insurance card) was stolen or fraudulently used.
7. Report the incident to the Canadian Anti‑Fraud Centre
Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to report the fraud. Your report is important because it will help the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre collect data on fraud in Canada and fight against this crime and cybercrime.
You can make a report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre as a victim or witness:
- By telephone, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., except on holidays, by dialing 1‑888‑495‑8501 (toll free) or,
- Online, using the cybercrime and fraud reporting system.
If necessary, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre can also help you report fraud and better protect yourself against this crime.
What happens next?
Once you've taken the first steps, you may want to take others, depending on your situation. For example, if the fraud has caused you to lose money, you may be able to claim financial compensation. The fraud could also be part of a situation of abuse about which you could file a complaint.
If necessary, ask a lawyer or make an appointment in a legal aid clinic to find out about Recourses depending on your situation.
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The information presented on this page is not a legal opinion or legal advice. This page explains in a general way the law that applies in Quebec. To obtain a legal opinion or legal advice on your personal situation, consult a legal professional.