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Threat awareness Watch · Know · Spot · Judge · Protect --:-- local

The threats are real. And they affect everyone.

These aren’t hypothetical. They happen every day in communities like yours, and knowing what to look for is the single most effective protection there is.

$0 reported lost by Canadians to fraud since you opened this page Based on $704M reported in 2025. Only 5–10% of fraud is ever reported.

01 · Watch it happen

This is a real scam. Scroll through it.

Modelled on the CRA text scam going around Ontario. Watch it unfold, and learn the exact moments it gives itself away.

ScrollKeep scrolling and the conversation plays out, one red flag at a time.

Red flag 01

The CRA doesn’t text refund links.

Look closely: that link isn’t canada.ca. Scammers register lookalike addresses that feel official at a glance. The government never sends money links by text. Not once.

Red flag 02

Urgency is the weapon.

“Final notice.” “Today.” “Immediately.” Pressure is designed to switch off the part of your brain that asks questions. Real institutions give you time to think and verify.

The hook

Asking is smart. Asking them isn’t.

Replying “is this real?” tells the scammer your number is live and that you’re engaging. To check, contact the organization yourself through a number or website you already know.

Red flag 03

Nobody legitimate asks for your SIN by text.

Your SIN and banking login are the keys to your identity. No government agency, bank or company will ever ask for them in a message. A request like this is the scam announcing itself.

The defence

Pause. Verify. Then decide.

That’s the whole skill. Every scam (phone, text, email, AI voice) falls apart when you take one breath and check through a channel you trust.

02 · Know what you’re up against

Threats, by who they target.

Pick the group closest to you, then open any threat to see your defence.

Try itPick a group, then open any threat to reveal your defence.

01Phone & impersonation scamsCallers pose as the CRA, your bank or the police, using urgency and fear to demand immediate payment.Your defence

Hang up. Call the organization back on the number from your own card or statement, never a number the caller gives you. Real institutions will wait.

02Phishing emails & fake messagesFraudulent emails mimicking your bank, Amazon or the government, designed to steal your login.Your defence

Read the sender’s address after the @. Don’t click the link; go to the site yourself by typing it. When in doubt, delete.

03AI voice & deepfake scamsAI can clone a voice from seconds of audio. Fraudsters use it to impersonate family members in fake emergencies.Your defence

Agree on a family code word for real emergencies. If a “loved one” calls in crisis, hang up and call them back on their own number.

04Romance & relationship fraudFake relationships built over weeks or months, ending in requests for money. One of the highest-loss fraud types in Canada.Your defence

Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person. Reverse-image-search their photos, and talk to someone you trust before acting.

05Account takeoverWeak or reused passwords let criminals into banking, email and health portals. Password reuse is one of the most exploited weaknesses there is.Your defence

One account, one password. A password manager makes that easy. Turn on two-step verification everywhere it’s offered.

06Misinformation & fake newsAI-generated articles, photos and videos spread false health, financial or political claims that look completely legitimate.Your defence

Check the source before you share. If a story triggers a strong emotion, that’s exactly when to verify it twice.

01Cyberbullying & harassmentPersistent harassment through social platforms, gaming chats and messaging apps, causing real emotional harm.Your defence

Don’t reply. Screenshot everything, block the account, use the platform’s report tools, and tell a trusted adult. You are not alone in this.

02Gaming scams & predatorsIn-game strangers build trust before asking for personal information, money, or to meet in person.Your defence

Never share personal information or send money to in-game strangers. Real friends don’t ask you to keep secrets from your family.

03Identity groomingAdults posing as peers online to slowly earn trust, moving from public platforms to private messages before escalating.Your defence

Pushing to move to a private chat, or asking you to keep a friendship secret, is the red flag. Tell a trusted adult right away.

04Digital footprint & privacyPosts, photos and check-ins create a permanent record. Most young people don’t realize how much of it is public.Your defence

Before posting, ask: would I be okay with a future employer seeing this? Set accounts to private and review your tags regularly.

05Sextortion & image-based abuseYoung people pressured into sharing images, then blackmailed. This is a crime, and it must be reported, not hidden.Your defence

It is never your fault, and paying never ends it. Stop contact, save the evidence, and report it to police or Cybertip.ca right away.

06Deepfakes & AI contentAI creates fake news, deepfake videos and impersonation accounts, and young people see more of it than anyone.Your defence

Verify before you believe or share: are reputable outlets reporting it too? If it’s built to shock you, that’s your cue to slow down.

03 · Warning signs

See any of these? Pause, and verify.

Scammers count on one thing: that you don’t know the signs. Now you will.

  1. 1

    Urgency & pressure

    “Act now or face consequences.” Banks, government and police always give you time to think.

  2. 2

    Unexpected contact

    A message from someone you know, but something feels off. Trust that. Call them on a number you already have.

  3. 3

    Requests for secrecy

    “Don’t tell anyone about this.” Always a manipulation tactic. Real organizations never ask for secrecy.

  4. 4

    Gift cards or wire transfers

    No government agency, bank or legitimate company ever asks to be paid in gift cards. Ever.

  5. 5

    Too good, or too alarming

    Incredible prizes, urgent threats, emergency family calls. Emotion is the weapon; awareness is the defence.

  6. 6

    Moving somewhere private

    Someone pushing you from a public chat to WhatsApp, Telegram or text is a red flag, especially if you barely know them.

04 · Test yourself

Spot the red flags.

A fake email, the kind that lands in Ontario inboxes every day. Tap everything that looks suspicious. Five red flags are hiding in plain sight.

Try itSelect anything in this email that looks suspicious. There are five.

Inbox

From Amazon Security <>

Subject

We detected unusual activity on your account. To avoid permanent suspension, verify your identity immediately by clicking the secure link below:

If verification fails, you may restore access by purchasing and replying with the codes.

Thank you,
Amazon Security Team

Found 0 of 5

You found all five. That instinct (pausing, reading closely, questioning) is the entire defence. Share this page with someone who needs it.

05 · Between rounds

Every scam has the same skeleton.

01

The hook

Something you want, or something you fear.

A refund. A prize. A grandchild in trouble. It’s built to get your attention before your judgment.

02

The pressure

A clock starts ticking.

“Today only.” “Final notice.” Urgency exists for one reason: to switch off the part of you that asks questions.

03

The ask

Codes. Logins. Gift cards.

Your SIN, a verification code, a payment nobody normal would ask for. The moment anyone asks, the mask is off.

04

The loss

Money first. Silence after.

Break the chain at any beat before this one, and this one never happens. Phone, text, email, AI voice: same skeleton.

Keep scrolling

06 · Quick round, all ages

Real, or scam?

Six messages, modelled on what actually lands on Ontario phones. Make the call and see the reason behind every answer.

Try itRead each message, then choose Real or Scam.

07 · Your protection plan

Three things anyone can do, starting today.

No technical background required. Each one meaningfully lowers your risk.

I

Secure your accounts

  • Use a unique password for your email and never reuse it anywhere
  • Turn on two-step verification for banking and email
  • Keep a written password list at home, not on your phone
II

Pause before you act

  • Urgency is a trick: hang up, then verify independently
  • Call back using a number from the official website only
  • Never send money, gift cards or personal details under pressure
III

Know your online presence

  • Review what’s publicly visible on your social profiles
  • Talk to the young people in your life about privacy settings
  • Before you post, ask what it could reveal about you