The Little Black Book of Scams
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The Canadian Edition THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SCAMS YOUR GUIDE TO PROTECTION AGAINST FRAUD First published by the Competition Bureau Canada 2012 Reproduced with permission from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Illustrations by Pat Campbell This publication is available online at: www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/03074.html. To obtain a copy of this publication, or to receive it in an alternate format (Braille, large print, etc.), please fill out the Publication Request Form or contact: Information Centre – Competition Bureau 50 Victoria Street, Gatineau, QC K1A 0C9 Tel.: 819-997-4282 Toll free: 1-800-348-5358 TTY (for hearing impaired): 1-800-642-3844 Fax: 819-997-0324 Website: www.competitionbureau.gc.ca Permission to reproduce Except as otherwise specifically noted, the information in this publication may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from the Competition Bureau provided due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the information reproduced; that the Competition Bureau is identified as the source institu- tion; and that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the information reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of the Competition Bureau. For permission to reproduce the information in this publication for commercial purposes, please fill out the Applica- tion for Crown Copyright Clearance or contact the: Web Services Centre Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada C.D. Howe Building 235 Queen Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0H5 Canada Telephone (toll-free in Canada): 1-800-328-6189 Telephone (international): 613-954-5031 TTY (for hearing impaired): 1-866-694-8389 Business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Email: [email protected] © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Industry, 2017. Cat. No. Iu54-42/2017E-PDF ISBN 978-0-660-07567-9 Aussi offert en français sous le titre Le petit livre noir de la fraude. The Canadian Edition THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SCAMS YOUR GUIDE TO PROTECTION AGAINST FRAUD FOREWORD MINISTER’S MESSAGE Consumer confidence in the marketplace unburdened by the high cost of fraud in both is of the utmost importance for the the traditional and digital economies. government. Informed and aware consumers Fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated are important players in an innovation in their methods, but so are consumers. economy. You can make a difference not only in your That’s why we encourage all Canadians to own life, but in the lives of the people you empower themselves by reading The Little care about by recognizing, rejecting and Black Book of Scams and take note of its reporting fraud. This booklet in its printed, tips on how to stop fraudsters in their tracks. online and video editions is an important This booklet outlines many of the most step in that direction. common types of scams, and lists the contact Hon. Navdeep Bains, information of fraud-fighting agencies that Minister of Innovation, Science and are there to help. Economic Development I believe in a Canada that is a nation of innovators, one that is aware and COMMISSIONER’S MESSAGE Fraud is a crime that threatens every yourself and debunks common myths that Canadian, regardless of their education, might allow fraudsters to gain your trust. age or income. Scammers use a variety of Since we first launched the booklet in devious tactics to defraud unsuspecting March 2012, it has remained one of our most victims, such as imitating well-known brands popular publications. We’ve distributed more online and using deceptive claims to entice than 100,000 printed copies to Canadians, consumers through telemarketing, emails or and our online version has been visited or social media. downloaded from the Competition Bureau’s The Competition Bureau works to protect all website more than 250,000 times. Canadians by cracking down on deceptive I am very grateful to the Australian marketers and ensuring consumers have the Competition and Consumer Commission, information they need to make informed who originally developed The Little Black purchasing decisions. Book of Scams and granted us permission to Our Little Black Book of Scams aims to produce this edition for Canadians. increase your awareness of the many John Pecman different kinds of fraud that target Commissioner of Competition Canadians. It provides tips on how to protect CONTENTS Introduction 1 Lotteries, sweepstakes and contests 2 Pyramid schemes 4 Money transfer requests 6 Internet scams 8 Mobile phone scams 10 Health and medical scams 12 Emergency scams 14 Dating and romance scams 16 Charity scams 18 Job and employment scams 20 Small business scams 22 Service scams 24 Handy hints to protect yourself 26 Scams and you: What to do if you get scammed! 28 Getting help and reporting a scam 29 MYTH BUSTERS Busting these common myths will minimize your chances of being scammed. • All companies, businesses and organizations • There are short cuts to wealth that only a few are legitimate because they are licensed and people know: This is not always true. Ask monitored by the government: This is not yourself the question: if someone knew a secret always true. While there are rules about setting to instant wealth, why would they be telling up and running a business or a company in their secret to others? Canada, scammers can easily pretend to have approval when they don’t. Even businesses • Scams involve large amounts of money: This is that are licensed could still try to scam you by not always true. Sometimes scammers target a acting dishonestly. large number of people and try to get a small amount of money from each person. • All Internet websites are legitimate: This is not always true. Websites are quite easy and cheap to • Scams are always about money: This is not always set up. The scammers can easily copy a genuine true. Some scams are aimed at stealing personal website and trick you into believing it is legitimate. information from you. GOLDEN RULES Remember these golden rules to help you beat the scammers. • Always get independent advice if an offer • Do not rely on glowing testimonials: find solid involves money, personal information, time or evidence of a company’s success. commitment. • Log directly on to a website that you are • There are no guaranteed get-rich-quick interested in rather than clicking on links schemes—sometimes the only people who make provided in an email. money are the scammers. • Never send money, or give credit card or • Do not agree to offers or deals right away. If online account details to anyone you do not you think you have spotted a great opportunity, know and trust. insist on time to get independent advice before making a decision. • If you spot a scam or have been scammed, get help. Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, • Do not hand over money or personal information, the Competition Bureau or your local police for or sign anything until you have done your assistance. See page 29 for contact information. homework and checked the credentials of the company that you are dealing with. Scammers are imaginative and manipulative. They know how to push your buttons to produce the response they want. INTRODUCTION Every year, Canadians lose millions of dollars to the activities of scammers who bombard us with online, mail, door-to-door and telephone scams. We are pleased to bring you the first Canadian edition ofThe Little Black Book of Scams. We hope this book will increase your awareness of the vast array of scams that target Canadians and share with you some easy steps you can take to protect yourself. SCAMMERS DO NOT DISCRIMINATE combat this kind of fraud is to take measures Scammers target people of all backgrounds, to prevent yourself from being caught in the ages and income levels. Fake lotteries, first place. Internet frauds, get-rich-quick schemes and miracle health cures are some of the favoured PROTECT YOURSELF means of separating the unwary from their If you want to stay on top of scams, inform money. New varieties of these scams appear yourself on how to recognize the various all the time. types of scams and protect your personal information by visiting law enforcement The Competition Bureau has seen the organizations’ websites, the Canadian Anti- devastating effects scams can have on people Fraud Centre (www.antifraudcentre.ca) or and their families. One of the best ways to other reputable organizations. 2 LOTTERIES, SWEEPSTAKES AND CONTESTS Many Canadians are lured by the excitement of a surprise win and find themselves sending huge amounts of money to claim fake prizes. WHAT TO LOOK FOR You cannot win money or a prize in a lottery A fake prize scam will tell you that you have unless you have entered it yourself, or won a prize or a contest. You may receive a someone else has entered it on your behalf. phone call, an email, a text message or see a You cannot be chosen as a random winner if pop-up screen on your computer. There are you don’t have an entry. often costs involved with claiming your prize, and even if you do receive a prize, it may not Many lottery scams try to trick you into be what was promised to you. providing your banking and personal details to claim your prize. You should not have to The scammers make their money by making pay any fee or tax to claim a legitimate prize. you pay fees or taxes, call their premium rate phone numbers or send premium text Don’t be fooled by claims that the offer is messages to claim your prize.