If someone broke into your house and stole valuable belongings, would you call police? Of course you would.
But if you were the victim of a fraud artist, if you are like many people, chances are you are not going to notify authorities.
Almost everyone – 98 per cent of Canadians, according to some surveys – has been preyed upon by a con artist. Fraud is the most common form of crime in Canada.
But only an estimated ten percent of victims report such offences.
Fraud is on the rise in Canada, we are told. More and more people are being targeted and losing money. Yet, most incidents are unreported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC).
Wait a sec.
This begs an obvious question: How can anyone tell how many fraud incidents are not reported, if the victims remain silent, and not contact authorities?
It turns out there are several ways to gauge the scope of the toll exacted by fraudsters. Statistics Canada measures the incidence of fraud through its General Social Survey (GSS) on Victimization, which asks a representative sample of the population about their experiences with crime, including fraud, even if they didn’t report it. We can also check data compiled by financial institutions, cybercrime reporting centres, industry reports and police forces.
The common conclusion of these reports and surveys is that between 30 and 40 per cent of all crimes in Canada are reported to police
When you look at those numbers, we can easily see why the bad guys, whether they are using weapons or keyboards, can keep victimizing so many innocent people, with impunity.
While, thankfully, few will be subjected to violent offences, everyone is vulnerable when it comes to scams.
There is a multitude of reasons why fraud victims keep the incidents to themselves.
“How could I have been so gullible?” Victims often feel stupid for having been sucked in by a smooth-talking grifter. “What is the point in calling the cops?” Certain targets believe authorities will not or cannot do anything, or that the amount of money involved is too small.
Another issue is fraud fatigue. People are sick and tired of being warned about fraud and of being worried every time they pick up their phone or log into their computer.
A 2025 RBC poll found that almost all respondents (98%) had seen more targeted and sophisticated scams, with nearly nine out of 10 (89%) noting a rise in scam attempts more than ever before (up from 77% in 2023). The majority (86%) of respondents believe it is getting harder to recognize scams and protect themselves; two-thirds (65%) are feeling tired of always having to be on the alert; and one-third (33%) admit to letting their guard down.
If you do not have a horror story of how you have been bilked, you certainly have had a “close call,” where for instance, you almost gave your PIN to a bogus “bank inspector.” Some criminals are clumsy. Think of the callers who say that you qualify for a tax refund from Revenue Canada, in American dollars. Or the “Inspector Morrison” who will arrest you if you do not send him money, ASAP.
But the criminal element is constantly evolving.
The conventional methods are still being employed. Fraudsters still engage in identity theft, bogus claims, fantastic get-rich-quick schemes, romance scams, extortion, phishing, investment fraud.
However, other more innovative crooks are taking advantage of advanced technology and artificial intelligence. You no doubt have seen fake videos of jungle animals behaving like humans. The same trickery is applied to generate fake but very realistic images of trusted public figures endorsing a phony investment scheme.
Fraud is big business. In 2024, the CAFC received 108,878 reports of fraud involving over $645 million in losses, an increase from $165 million in losses in 2020.
So why should you report fraud? The short answer is that information is power.
The longer answer is that, in order for law enforcement agencies to tackle fraud and cybercrime, it is essential that those who experience, or fall victim, report incidents to police and the CAFC. Local police are positioned to investigate the incident; the CAFC supports law enforcement by sharing information collected through the reports. By sharing information you provide details that could link a number of crimes together, in Canada or somewhere else in the world and your information could help wrap up an investigation. Reports show crime trends and allow for crime forecasting, as well as helping fine-tune prevention and awareness efforts.
If you been duped, or have been approached by a scammer, do not be shy. Nobody is going to judge. You can go to reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca or phone 1-888-495-8501.
As our world keeps changing, fraudsters constantly hone techniques to try to separate us from our hard-earned money.
But when it comes to protecting ourselves, the same traditional proven guidelines work. Trust your gut feeling. Be wary of strangers who pretend to be your friends. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Caveat emptor. There is no such thing as a free lunch. And, if you do become a fraud victim and are reluctant to call police, remember silence abets the criminals.
Let us know what you think at rmahoney@seawaynews.media
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