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SCAMS AND YOU:
WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET SCAMMED!
Canadian authorities may not always be able to take action against scams,
even if it seems like a scammer might have broken the law.
REDUCING THE DAMAGE
Although it may be hard to recover any money that you
have lost to a scam, there are steps you can take to
reduce the damage and avoid becoming a target for a
follow-up scam. The more quickly you act, the greater
your chance of reducing your losses.
Report a scam. By reporting the scam to authorities, they
may be able to warn other people about the scam and
minimize the chances of the scam spreading further. You
should also warn your friends and family of any scams that
you come across. Details on how to report a scam are on
pages 29 and 30 of this publication.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN TRICKED INTO SIGNING A
CONTRACT OR BUYING A PRODUCT OR SERVICE
Contact your provincial or territorial consumer affairs
office and consider getting independent advice to
examine your options: there may be a cooling-off period
or you may be able to negotiate a refund.
IF YOU THINK SOMEONE HAS GAINED ACCESS
TO YOUR ONLINE ACCOUNT, TELEPHONE
BANKING ACCOUNT OR CREDIT CARD DETAILS
Call your financial institution immediately so they can
suspend your account and limit the amount of money you
lose.Credit card companies may also be able to perform a
“charge back” (reverse the transaction) if they believe that
your credit card was billed fraudulently.
Do not use contact details that appear in emails or on
websites that you are suspicious of—they will probably be
fake and lead you to a scammer. You can find legitimate
contact details in the phone book, an account statement
or on the back of your ATM card.
IF THE SCAM RELATES TO
YOUR HEALTH
Stop taking any pills or substances that you are not
sure about.See a doctor or other qualified medical
professional as soon as you can. Be sure to tell them
about the treatment that the scammer sold (take along
any substances, including their packaging). Also tell them
if you have stopped any treatment that you were taking
before the scam.
IF YOU HAVE SENT MONEY TO SOMEONE THAT
YOU THINK MAY BE A SCAMMER
If you sent your credit card details, follow the instructions
in the section opposite.
If you sent money through an electronic funds transfer
(over the Internet), contact your financial institution
immediately. If they have not already processed the
transfer, they may be able to cancel it.
If you sent a cheque, contact your financial institution
immediately. If the scammer hasn’t already cashed your
cheque, they may be able to cancel it.
If you sent money through a wire service (such as Western
Union or Money Gram), contact the wire service immediately.
If you are very quick, they may be able to stop the transfer.