Scam and fraud reporting in Canada

Microsoft never makes unsolicited tech support calls or sends unsolicited security warnings with phone numbers

Never allow remote access to process a refund as legitimate companies do not operate this way

Never log into financial accounts during any screen-sharing session initiated by an incoming caller

Hang up on unsolicited calls about AppleCare — Apple does not make outbound warranty renewal calls.

Never share your screen on FaceTime with anyone you did not initiate the call with.

Hang up immediately — Apple never makes unsolicited phone calls about account problems.

Contact Apple Support directly at support.apple.com with proof of ownership to regain access to your account.

Close the browser using Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Delete) if the popup cannot be dismissed normally.

Hang up immediately — Microsoft will never call you unsolicited about your computer.

Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and use Task Manager to force-close the browser — do not call the number.

Only sponsor children through well-established organizations verified on Charity Navigator or GuideStar

Take time to research any charity before donating, even during the holidays

Log in to Amazon directly by typing amazon.com into your browser — never through email links.

Check your Apple ID status by going directly to appleid.apple.com — never through links in emails.

Hang up and call your bank directly using the number on the back of your card or on your bank's official website.

Hang up and call the number on your utility bill or the company's official website.

Go directly to the streaming service's website or app to check your account status.

Check delivery status only through the carrier's official website or app using your tracking number.

Check account status by logging into the platform directly — not through links in messages.

Check your actual antivirus subscription status by logging into the official vendor's website directly.

Never click links in unexpected Prime renewal messages — go directly to amazon.com and check your membership status.

Only contact Amazon support through the official app or website — never search for phone numbers online.

Do not click any links — log into your Amazon account directly at amazon.com and check 'Your Orders' for the supposed purchase.

If you receive an invoice for something you did not buy, do not call the phone number — log into PayPal directly and decline the invoice.

Never release goods based on a buyer's screen — always verify the payment has arrived in your own PayPal account or email.

Decline any money request from someone you do not recognize — you are never obligated to pay an unsolicited PayPal request.

Do not click any links — go directly to appleid.apple.com to check your account status.

Check your actual iCloud storage through Settings on your Apple device, not through email links.

Never reply to texts from unknown senders — replying enables malicious links in iMessage.

Check your subscription status directly at account.microsoft.com, never through email links.

Never share your password or two-factor codes with anyone — Xbox Support will never ask for them.

Verify the recruiter by checking their LinkedIn profile history and confirming their identity through the company's official website.

Know that Google does not charge for business profile verification and rarely makes unsolicited calls about it.

Check your billing status directly at ads.google.com — never through email links.

Never share verification codes with anyone — they are meant only for you.

Always verify a business phone number by checking their official website before calling a number from Google Maps.

Check Creativity Program eligibility directly in the TikTok app under Creator tools.

Access LinkedIn Learning only through the official LinkedIn website or app — never through links in unsolicited messages.

Check your LinkedIn subscription status by logging in directly at linkedin.com — never through emailed links.

Always verify financial requests through a separate channel — call the executive directly using a known phone number.

Verify the company page by checking for a matching official website, cross-referencing employee profiles, and looking at the page's creation date.

Coinbase support will never call you first, ask for your password, or request remote access to your device.

Never pay an invoice you did not expect — verify with the supposed sender through a separate communication channel.

Log into your Uber account directly through the official app to check for any issues — do not click links in suspicious messages.

Never share verification codes, credit card details, or passwords with anyone claiming to be an Uber Eats driver.

Uber support communicates primarily through the app — hang up on unsolicited calls claiming to be from Uber.

Check your Uber Pro status and rewards only through the official Uber Driver app.

Contact Airbnb support only through the official app or airbnb.com — never through phone numbers found in Google search results.

Never click tracking links in emails — copy the tracking number and enter it directly at ups.com.

Log in to your UPS My Choice account by typing ups.com directly into your browser.

Never open unexpected attachments — UPS does not send shipping labels via unsolicited email.

Verify your shipment directly at fedex.com using your tracking number.

Verify any FedEx invoices by logging in to your FedEx Billing Online account at fedex.com.

Access your FedEx account billing by navigating directly to fedex.com.

Check your eBay purchase history by logging in directly at ebay.com — do not click email links.

Check your account status by logging in directly at ebay.com — do not use links from emails.

Contact the utility using the number on your statement.

Hang up and call your utility company directly using the number on your bill or their official website

Never let anyone into your home without verifying their identity — call the gas company directly to confirm any scheduled visits

Do not click links in unsolicited rebate offers — visit your utility company website directly to check for legitimate programs

Only schedule energy audits through your utility company or certified programs like ENERGY STAR Home Advisor

Check your utility company for legitimate weatherization assistance programs, especially LIHEAP for low-income households

Recognize that no legitimate investment can guarantee to multiply your money — any such promise is a scam

Use Facebook checkout for buyer protection and avoid paying through external payment apps

Verify any job offer by contacting the company directly through their official careers page or HR department

Never share verification codes with anyone — Snapchat will never ask you to share codes with friends

Verify investment advice from Reddit through independent financial research and regulated sources

Research any product or investment independently before purchasing, regardless of who promotes it

Check your Creator Fund status directly in the TikTok app under Creator tools — never through external links.

Verify brand deals by checking the company's official website and contacting them through their listed business email.

Do not send TikTok gifts or share gift card codes to strangers based on giveaway promises.

TikTok sends security notifications through the app — check your inbox within the TikTok app directly.

Never share sensitive personal information like your address, date of birth, or ID numbers in a video resume.

Be skeptical of any challenge promising easy money — legitimate contests have verifiable sponsors and published rules.

Do not click links in DMs or comments from accounts you do not know.

Never invest based solely on social media influencer recommendations — always do independent research.

LinkedIn's identity verification is done through the official app using a government ID and selfie — never through external links or payments.

Only participate in salary surveys from verified organizations — check the research firm's website and reputation independently.

Never download files or click links from LinkedIn connections you do not know personally.

Only use IRS-authorized e-file providers listed at irs.gov/e-file-providers.

Verify any charity's tax-exempt status using the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at irs.gov/charities.

Never pay to apply for a scholarship — legitimate scholarships do not charge application fees.

Understand that no one can guarantee you will win a scholarship — selection is always competitive.

Never sign up for paid services under pressure at a seminar — take materials home and research the company first.

Use free scholarship search engines like Fastweb, Scholarships.com, College Board BigFuture, or your school's financial aid portal.

Research the contest sponsor before entering — legitimate contests are sponsored by known organizations and have verifiable past winners.

Contact college coaches directly or use the NCAA Eligibility Center — legitimate recruiting does not require upfront fees from families.

Verify scholarships through the university's official international student office — never through third-party websites alone.

Remember that you cannot win a scholarship you never applied for — treat unsolicited awards as scams.

Verify any celebrity death news by checking reputable news outlets before clicking social media links.

Verify all product recalls at cpsc.gov or the manufacturer's official website before taking any action.

Verify health claims through PubMed, the FDA, or by asking your healthcare provider.

Go directly to the company's official website to check for any breach announcements.

Verify the contractor's license, insurance, and local business registration before signing any contract.

Never hire a contractor who solicits door to door — reputable paving companies have established customer pipelines.

Verify the company carries both liability insurance and workers' compensation — ask for a certificate of insurance and call the insurer to confirm.

Unless water is actively flooding, get at least two estimates before authorizing major plumbing work.

Get a second opinion from another licensed HVAC contractor before agreeing to any major repair or replacement.

Hire a licensed structural engineer — not a contractor — for an independent foundation assessment.

Use a company that only does testing, not remediation — to avoid a conflict of interest.

Check with your local building department about what work requires permits before hiring any contractor.

Require an itemized materials list in the contract specifying brand, model, and unit cost.

Check your state's limits on contractor advance payments — many states cap deposits at one-third of the total contract.

Do not deposit employer cheques tied to urgent vendor payments.

Verify the recruiter by checking the actual company's website and calling their HR department directly.

Research the company independently — check their official website and look for the job listing there.

Donate to the Red Cross only through redcross.org (US), redcross.ca (Canada), or redcross.org.uk (UK).

Donate to established disaster relief organizations rather than individual crowdfunding campaigns unless you personally know the recipient.

Share missing person reports only from verified sources such as local police departments, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, or official emergency management agencies.

Force-close the browser using Task Manager or Activity Monitor without calling any number

Force-close the browser using Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Delete) or Force Quit (Cmd+Option+Esc) — do not call the number.

Close the browser tab or force-quit the browser — real Windows Defender alerts never appear in a browser.

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc (Windows) or Cmd+Option+Esc (Mac) to force-quit the browser without calling the number.

Close the tab immediately — no legitimate website can scan your local files through a browser.

Check your bank or credit card statement directly — do not use the phone number in the email.

Do not call the number — go to norton.com directly and check your account for any active subscriptions.

Revoke notification permissions in your browser settings for any site you do not recognize.

Uninstall the system cleaner using Windows Add/Remove Programs and run a legitimate malware scan.

Reverse image search the profile photos — stolen military photos are commonly reused across scam accounts.

Understand that no branch of the U.S. military charges service members or their families for leave.

Access military discounts only through official channels like ID.me, SheerID, or the retailer's official military page.

Verify any charity through Charity Navigator, GuideStar, or the BBB Wise Giving Alliance before donating.

Never pay upfront for a job — legitimate employers cover training and equipment costs.

Purchase legitimate military surplus only through GovPlanet, GovSales.gov, or other authorized government liquidation platforms.

Always verify unusual financial or data requests through a separate communication channel — call the executive directly.

Never click password reset links you did not request — navigate directly to the service's website.

Hover over the link to inspect the URL before clicking — legitimate shares come from official domains.

Log into your account directly by typing the URL in your browser — never use links from warning emails.

Use hardware security keys (FIDO2/WebAuthn) which are resistant to real-time phishing proxy attacks.

After any account compromise, immediately check your email rules and forwarding settings — remove anything you did not create.

Change your calendar settings to not automatically add events from email invitations.

Do not click unsubscribe in emails from unknown senders — mark the email as spam instead.

Be cautious of unexpected attachments or links even in existing email threads.

Check your PayPal account directly at paypal.com — if there is no matching transaction, the email is fake.

Never rely on email notifications alone — always verify payments by logging into your PayPal account directly.

Hover over the meeting link before clicking to verify it points to a legitimate Microsoft domain.

Verify the sender by contacting them through a separate channel before clicking any shared document link.

Change your Google Calendar settings to only show invitations you have explicitly accepted.

Access the admin console directly at admin.google.com — never through email links.

Be skeptical of any weight loss product that promises results without diet or exercise — the FDA has not approved any pill that does this.

Only obtain Ozempic or semaglutide through a licensed pharmacy with a valid prescription from your healthcare provider.

Verify celebrity endorsements through the celebrity's official social media accounts or website.

Consult your healthcare provider before starting any detox program — healthy kidneys and liver already detoxify your body.

Understand that the FDA does not approve dietary supplements — only drugs and medical devices go through FDA approval.

Research any supplement through independent review sites and verify claimed celebrity or TV show endorsements.

Be skeptical of any skin care product claiming to reverse aging — consult a board-certified dermatologist for proven treatments.

Look for supplements that disclose exact ingredient amounts rather than hiding behind proprietary blends.

Search for the cited study on PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) or ClinicalTrials.gov to verify it exists.

Read the full subscription terms before providing payment information, especially the renewal price and cancellation policy.

Keep all communication and payment inside the booking platform.

Book and pay only through the official platform (Airbnb, Vrbo) and never send money outside the platform.

Access airline deals and booking changes only through the airline's official app or by typing the airline URL directly.

Verify travel agencies through the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) directory and check for state seller of travel registration.

Never sign a timeshare contract on the same day — take the documents home and review them with a lawyer.

Hang up on unsolicited calls about free cruises — legitimate cruise lines do not cold-call with free offers.

Book rental cars directly from established companies (Hertz, Enterprise, Avis) or through well-known platforms like Kayak or Google Flights.

Purchase travel insurance only from providers rated by AM Best or listed on your state's insurance department website.

Verify the supplier's business registration, physical address, and trade references before placing orders.

Review all invoices against actual purchase orders — never pay without verifying the service was ordered.

Be skeptical of any SEO company that guarantees specific rankings — legitimate agencies discuss strategy, not guaranteed outcomes.

Never pay upfront fees to secure a loan — legitimate lenders deduct costs from loan proceeds or charge at closing.

Verify any compliance requirement directly with the government agency referenced in the notice.

Establish a policy that only authorized personnel can approve supply orders, and never confirm orders with unknown callers.

Research the awarding organization independently — check for reviews, Better Business Bureau complaints, and verifiable past winners.

Hang up and call your local BBB directly using the number from bbb.org to verify any communication.

Always renew domains directly through your current registrar's website — never through unsolicited notices.

Require all advertising commitments to be in writing with authorized signatures before any work begins.

Remember that real courts serve legal notices by mail or in person — never by email.

Apply for passport services only through your government's official website — travel.state.gov in the US.

Apply for building permits only through your city or county's official government website or in person at the permit office.

Apply for visas and travel authorizations only through official government immigration websites.

File taxes only through IRS-authorized e-file providers listed at irs.gov or use IRS Free File.

Treat unsolicited phone calls that reference emails as suspicious — hang up and call the organization directly using their official number.

Be cautious of new contacts who engage publicly before quickly moving to private messages.

Preview the URL before opening it — most phone cameras show the destination before you tap.

Never click links in text messages prompted by unsolicited voicemails.

Verify any letter by contacting the organization directly using contact information from their official website — not from the letter.

Only use chatbots on verified official websites — check the URL matches the real company's domain.

Skip sponsored search results and scroll to organic listings, or type the URL directly into your browser.

Never enter credentials while sharing your screen in a video call.

Never send money to anyone claiming an accidental overpayment without verifying through your bank directly

Use Facebook's built-in checkout and shipping protection for all Marketplace transactions

Do not participate — writing fake reviews violates FTC guidelines and marketplace terms of service.

Never pay out of pocket for a job opportunity — legitimate employers do not require this.

Verify the offer by contacting the brand directly through their official website.

Decline the offer and report the seller to Amazon for review manipulation.

Do not pay — extortion payments almost always lead to repeated demands.

Read recent reviews and look for specific, detailed feedback rather than generic praise.

Verify the company independently — search for its name plus the word scam before signing up.

Report the unsolicited package to the marketplace — Amazon has a dedicated brushing report form.

Reverse image search testimonial photos to check if they are stock images.

Verify the account handle character by character and check for the verified badge.

Only buy from sellers with established history and verified reviews — check the seller profile before purchasing.

Report the unsolicited packages to Amazon customer service and check your account for unauthorized access.

Legitimate companies do not recruit product reviewers through unsolicited texts or social media messages offering easy money.

Always use PayPal's Goods and Services option for any purchase — the small fee provides full buyer protection.

Never refund overpayments to a different account or by a different payment method — refund only through PayPal's built-in refund feature to the original sender.

Request signature confirmation for purchases over 750 USD and document unboxing with video.

Do not pay — report the fake reviews to Google through your Business Profile by flagging each one as inappropriate.

Research sellers and read reviews before purchasing — check for patterns of complaints about product quality.

Never accept payment for more than the agreed price — this is the hallmark of an overpayment scam.

Never pay money to start a job — legitimate employers cover the cost of training and background checks.

Buy resale tickets only through verified platforms like Ticketmaster, StubHub, or SeatGeek that offer buyer guarantees.

Only hire movers with a valid USDOT number (verify at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov) and positive reviews on multiple platforms.

Always meet the pet and the seller in person before paying anything.

If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is — research fair market prices before buying.

Never send money to someone you have not met in person, regardless of how strong the emotional connection feels.

For Craigslist, prefer local cash transactions — if you must ship, create and pay for the label yourself.

Legitimate second-chance offers appear in your eBay Messages and are processed through eBay checkout.

Record a video when opening packages from unknown sellers as proof of what was received.

Never pay for eBay items outside of eBay's managed payments system.

Review the bidding history for patterns — look for accounts that repeatedly bid on the same seller's items.

eBay does not offer a vehicle purchase protection escrow program — any reference to it is a scam.

eBay gift cards can only be used on ebay.com — they are never a valid payment method for anything else.

Go directly to the tax authority website instead of using message links.

Track packages only through the official ups.com website or UPS mobile app.

Never pay delivery fees through links in text messages — check fedex.com directly with your tracking number.

Check your orders by logging in directly at amazon.com — never through email links.

Verify delivery attempts by entering any tracking number directly on the carrier's official website.

Verify any customs charges by contacting the shipping carrier or customs broker directly.

Manage delivery preferences only by logging in directly through the carrier's official website or app.

Never open email attachments from unknown senders or unexpected shipping notifications.

Amazon drivers never ask for payment at the door or request personal identification to complete a delivery.

Track packages only by entering the tracking number directly at usps.com — never click tracking links in emails.

Do not click any links — go directly to ups.com and enter your tracking number manually.

Contact UPS directly through the official website or phone number to verify any customs charges.

Verify any delivery attempt by entering the InfoNotice number at ups.com or calling 1-800-742-5877.

Verify any COD shipment by calling UPS at 1-800-742-5877 before making any payment.

Manage package rerouting only through the official UPS website or UPS My Choice app.

Check your actual shipment status directly on ups.com using your real tracking number.

Do not click links in text messages — check shipment status directly at fedex.com.

Contact FedEx directly at 1-800-463-3339 to verify any customs charges.

Log in to fedex.com directly to check your delivery status — do not use links from emails.

Do not call back numbers from suspicious voicemails — use the official FedEx number 1-800-463-3339.

Always track packages by going directly to fedex.com and entering the number manually.

Check for legitimate delivery exceptions by logging in to fedex.com directly.

Download banking apps only from links on your bank official website or by searching the official app store directly

Never pay upfront fees to sell a timeshare — legitimate resale companies charge commissions only after a sale closes.

Contact your timeshare resort's exit or deedback program directly first — many resorts now offer voluntary exit options.

Compare any claimed exclusive deals against prices on Kayak, Google Flights, and Booking.com before purchasing a membership.

Know your state's rescission period before attending — most states allow cancellation within 3 to 15 days of signing.

Read all terms and conditions of any travel voucher before paying any activation or processing fees.

Request a detailed written list of exactly what is included before booking.

Never share your timeshare account login credentials with any third-party company.

Remember that legitimate sweepstakes do not require payment or attendance at a sales event to claim a prize.

Never click external links sent by matches — legitimate dating apps handle verification within the app.

Never share your Social Security number or government ID through a link sent by a dating match.

Stay on the original dating platform — there is no legitimate reason to move to an unknown external site.

Suggest a mainstream video app like FaceTime, Zoom, or Google Meet — a legitimate person will agree.

Do not pay for background checks through links sent by dating matches.

Recognize that no legitimate dating platform requires a separate safety ID — this is always a scam.

Use only the built-in verification features of dating apps — Bumble, Tinder, and Hinge all have native photo verification.

Only upgrade your dating app membership through the official app or website — never through external links.

Share your location with a trusted friend using built-in phone features instead of external check-in links.

Get STI testing through your own healthcare provider or a reputable clinic — never through a link from a dating match.

Only trust the actual payment app or bank balance, not screenshots.

Verify any insurance company's license with your state's Department of Insurance before paying anything.

Remember that legitimate sweepstakes never require upfront payment — it is illegal under US and Canadian law.

Always verify by calling your grandchild directly on their known phone number before sending any money.

Never send money to someone you have only met online, regardless of how strong the connection feels.

Never sign a contract at the door — take the materials, read everything, and consult family or a lawyer first.