Fraud Prevention Month 2026
Fraudsters steal more than money. They steal trust.
This year during Fraud Prevention Month, we are empowering Canadians to better protect themselves from fraud by helping to identify, avoid, and report it.
Our weekly sub-themes will be:
- Week 1: The rise of fraud
- Week 2: Fraud knows no boundaries
- Week 3: The sophistication of fraud
- Week 4: Tackling fraud
Top 10 frauds in 2025
In 2025, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received over 112,000 fraud reports involving over $704 million in reported losses.
| Fraud type | Reports | Victims | Dollar loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity Fraudtable 1 footnote 1 | 8,403 | 8,403 | N/A |
| Investments | 4,409 | 3,867 | $351M |
| Service | 3,393 | 2,444 | $19.5M |
| Personal informationtable 1 footnote 1 | 3,016 | 2,109 | N/A |
| Phishingtable 1 footnote 1 | 2,869 | 467 | N/A |
| Extortion | 2,767 | 835 | $23M |
| Merchandise | 2,596 | 2,222 | $11.7M |
| Fraud investigator | 2,167 | 1,137 | $28.3M |
| Job | 2,148 | 1,726 | $50.6M |
| Relationship | 1,093 | 933 | $63.3M |
Table 1 notes
- Table 1 note 1
-
Frauds soliciting personal information, and phishing do not involve financial losses and the majority of people who are victims of identity fraud are not responsible for the fraud losses.
| Fraud type | Reports | Victims | Dollar loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investments | 4,409 | 3,867 | $351.M |
| Spear phishing | 813 | 571 | $67.9M |
| Relationship | 1,093 | 933 | $63.3M |
| Job | 2,148 | 1,726 | $50.6M |
| Fraud investigator | 2,167 | 1,137 | $28.3M |
| Recovery pitch | 933 | 569 | $25.9M |
| Extortion | 2,767 | 835 | $23M |
| Service | 3,393 | 2,444 | $19.5M |
| Merchandise | 2,596 | 2,222 | $11.7M |
| Prize | 403 | 151 | $5.7M |
Video: Look out for AI-generated impersonations of public figures
Text version - RCMP and Competition Bureau - Fraud Prevention Month 2026
[RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme and Acting Commissioner of Competition Jeanne Pratt stand side-by-side, taking turns speaking]
Commissioner Duheme: Hi, I'm Mike Duheme, Commissioner of the RCMP.
Acting Commissioner Pratt: And I’m Jeanne Pratt, Acting Commissioner of Competition.
Commissioner Duheme: Canadians lost over $704 million to fraud last year and we've witnessed how criminals adapt and leverage technology to commit fraud.
This Fraud Prevention Month, we are coming together to warn Canadians about fraudsters using AI technology to impersonate public figures and government officials online.
[Camera cuts to a close-up of Commissioner Duheme]
Criminals often use this technology to create fake endorsements for products and investment opportunities designed to trick victims out of their money.
[Camera cuts to wider shot of both Commissioner Duheme and Acting Commissioner Pratt]
Acting Commissioner Pratt: That means fraud has many faces, even those you thought you could trust. But there are ways to know what's real from what's fake.
[Camera cuts to a close-up of Acting Commissioner Pratt]
Look out for videos of public figures saying things that seem out of character on social media, promoting merchandise or investment opportunities that are too good to be true.
[Camera cuts to close-up of Commissioner Duheme holding his phone up to the camera. A deepfake video of him plays on the screen]
[Commissioner Duheme holds his phone up to the camera. A deepfake video of him plays on the screen]
You may be able to spot unnatural movements, mismatched audio, or inconsistent lighting and shadows.
[Camera cuts to wider shot of both Commissioner Duheme and Acting Commissioner Pratt]
Commissioner Duheme: Always assume these videos are fake and take the steps to verify with trusted sources.
[Camera cuts to a close-up of Commissioner Duheme]
If you are a victim of fraud, contact your local police immediately and report the incident online by visiting reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca.
You can also visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center's website for more helpful resources.
[Camera cuts to a close-up of Acting Commissioner Pratt]
Acting Commissioner Pratt: This Fraud Prevention Month, don't let fraudsters hide behind someone else's image.
[Camera cuts to wider shot of both Commissioner Duheme and Acting Commissioner Pratt]
Commissioner Duheme: Remember: Recognize, reject and report it.
[Text on screen: Royal Canadian Mounted Police / Gendarmerie royale du Canada]
[Text on screen: © His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2026.]
[Canada wordmark]
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