March is Fraud Prevention Month, and it’s a good time to stay alert and protect yourself from common scams.
Scammers often pose as trusted organizations or create urgent situations. A few common tactics include:
- Tuition/payment scams: You may be asked to send money for fees through unusual methods or at a discount (e.g., wire transfer, gift cards, or unfamiliar payment platforms).
- Phishing emails or texts: Messages that look like they’re from your bank, school, or a service you use, asking you to click links or provide personal information.
- Job or rental scams: Offers that seem too good to be true and require upfront payments or sensitive details.
- Impersonation Scams: Fraudsters pretend to be bank employees, law enforcement or government officials to solicit personal data.
 If something feels urgent, unusual, unsolicited, or too good to be true, pause and verify through official channels.
 If you think you’ve been targeted or scammed, take action quickly:Â
- Contact your bank or financial institution immediately
- Save all relevant information (emails, messages, receipts)
- Report the incident to your local police
- Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501 or online
- Notify the company or service involved (e.g. credit card provider)
- Consider placing alerts on your credit with Equifax or TransUnion
Visit the Government of Canada’s Fraud Prevention Month page or Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for more tips and resources on how to protect yourself.