March is Fraud Prevention Month in Quebec. On this subject, did you know that Quebec ranks first in Canada in terms of the number of identity frauds? In the last year, this has also become the most common type of fraud, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Since fraudulent schemes are constantly evolving, we invite you to make your populations aware of this scourge to which, unfortunately, First Nations are not immune, especially our elders. Below is information to help you.

Types of fraud 

The Sûreté du Québec website lists the main types of fraud and indicates how best to avoid them. Here are some examples:

Identity theft and fraud 

Identity theft occurs when someone obtains and uses, without your knowledge and consent, your personal information for criminal purposes, for example, to access your bank accounts or to apply for loans or credit cards.

The “false representative of a banking institution” fraud 

This fraud is carried out by means of a solicitation by telephone, text messaging or email. Fraudsters pretend to be a banking institution and tell their victims that suspicious transactions have been spotted on their payment cards. The communications (appearance and logo) are very similar to those of your bank or financial services co-op. Fraudsters may ask for confirmation of personal information, the purchase of prepaid cards or a transfer of money.

Tip: Never click on suspicious links; a financial institution will never contact you by email or text message. Also, never reveal personal information, such as your social insurance number, date of birth or bank account number. 

The “grandparents” fraud 

This is a telephone fraud, where fraudsters specifically target seniors and pretend to be a family member or someone close to them. They claim a situation of distress (an accident, an arrest, etc.) which requires immediate financial assistance. They will ask the victim not to tell anyone about the situation.

Tip: Tell this person that you need time to think about it and that you will get back to them. In the meantime, contact your family members or friends to verify if the request is justified and comes from the right person. When you refuse to respond to the fraudster’s request, they will hang up. 

Report the fraud to better protect yourself 

Any fraudulent acts should be reported to your local police department. Remember that fraud is a criminal act. Whether committed online, over the phone, by text message or in person, it should be reported as soon as possible to the police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

Information Resources 

For more information on fraud, visit the following websites: – Sûreté du Québec – Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre – Autorité des marchés financiers