I think I have been scammed

Real stories

An ad that promises your money will grow

A video of a famous face, a small first deposit, then a call from an adviser and an account that shows your money growing. Under each story: where it could have been stopped, and how.

How these scams work

The same steps, every time

Each step is what the scammers do, then what stops them at that step. The numbers in each story match these steps.

  1. Stage01 An ad with a famous face, on social media or the television. What stops it Treating any ad where a public figure promises returns as fake. Read more
  2. Stage02 A small first deposit, and a promise of fast growth. What stops it One person, agreed on beforehand, that you phone before any money moves. Read more
  3. Stage03 An account that shows the money growing, and advisers who call. What stops it Checking the firm’s registration yourself, before the first payment. Read more
  4. Stage04 Larger deposits, borrowed money, and a window that is closing. What stops it Never borrowing to invest with someone who called you. Read more
  5. Stage05 Crypto, transfers, and software installed on your computer. What stops it Never letting a caller put software on your computer or phone. Read more
  6. Stage06 Fees and taxes before you can take anything out. What stops it Refusing any payment asked for before your own money is released. Read more
  7. Stage07 The phone goes dead. Then someone offers to get it back. What stops it Telling your bank, the police and the Anti-Fraud Centre, today. Read more
the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre where scams get reported nationally, which is not the same as being investigated

It gathers reports from across the country so that patterns can be seen. Your own case belongs to the local police force, and the Centre does not work it. It cannot move money either.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario · June 2026

She saw the prime minister in an ad. She lost $900,000.

Lost $900,000

In the summer of 2025, Judy, 86, saw an ad on Facebook. It showed Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying that an investment of $350 would be backed by the Bank of Canada. The video was a fake, made with artificial intelligence.

Then a call: her investment had tripled. She put in everything she had, and took out a $300,000 mortgage on her condo. Her account showed the money almost doubling.

“Once I did the final payment, there was no more conversation and all my money was gone.”

Judy, 86

Her friend Pat stepped in when the condo fees started bouncing. Judy has no children; she had wanted to leave her money to charities. Pat’s advice: “make sure someone is on a bank account as their emergency contact.”

CP24, 26 June 2026. “Ontario woman loses $900,000 to cryptocurrency ad scam”

a trusted contact person a name on an investment account that the firm is allowed to telephone

It hands over no power at all: a trusted contact cannot trade, cannot see balances and cannot move money. The firm decides whether to call, and it may only call if a name and a written consent are already on file. This is not a power of attorney.

Step by step, and what stops each one

  1. Stage 01

    A video of the prime minister, on Facebook.

    What stops it here

    A public figure in an ad, promising returns, is made from real footage and a fake voice. Prime ministers and the Bank of Canada do not sell investments in ads.

    More about stage 01

  2. Stage 02

    $350 to start, backed by the Bank of Canada.

    What stops it here

    The small first amount is there to make the larger ones feel ordinary. Ring your named person before the first payment, not the fifth.

    More about stage 02

  3. Stage 03

    A call: her money had tripled. The account showed it growing.

    What stops it here

    Numbers on a screen are whatever the scammers type. Before adding more, look the firm up at AreTheyRegistered.ca and call the number listed there.

    More about stage 03

  4. Stage 04

    Everything she had, and a $300,000 mortgage on her condo.

    What stops it here

    Borrowing against your home to invest is the moment to stop and show a person you trust. Your bank can also record someone it may call when something looks wrong: a trusted contact person.

    More about stage 04

  5. Stage 07

    No more conversation. Her friend Pat stepped in.

    What stops it here

    Tell somebody the same day. Pat could only help once she knew.

    More about stage 07

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan · December 2025

He set himself a limit of $3,000, and kept to it

Lost $2,800

Lynn, 70, a retired teacher, saw what looked like a news interview with Prime Minister Mark Carney on his smart TV. He signed up with the trading platform it promoted. Advisers called from Canadian numbers, one using the name of a real Toronto adviser.

He paid $365 by credit card, saw profits, and withdrew a little to test it. Then he sent $3,000, the limit he had set himself. His bank phoned to ask, “Are you sure you want to do this?”, but could not tell him whether it was a scam.

“Once you’re lost, you stop believing the things that you should believe.”

Lynn, 70

The pressure grew. When he tried to take his money out, the phone went dead. He lost $2,800. His advice: “Don’t let any money out because there’s a good chance you’ll never see it again.”

CBC News, 4 December 2025. “Sask. retiree warns others after losing $3K to crypto fraud using AI video of prime minister”

Step by step, and what stops each one

  1. Stage 01

    A fake news interview, on his smart TV.

    What stops it here

    A news clip of a public figure recommending an investment is a fake. Real interviews do not end with a sign-up page.

    More about stage 01

  2. Stage 03

    Advisers with Canadian numbers, and a real adviser’s name.

    What stops it here

    A real name and a local number prove nothing; both are borrowed. Look the adviser up yourself, and phone the firm on the number the registry shows, not the one that called you.

    More about stage 03

  3. It stopped here

    Stage 04

    $3,000, his own limit, set before he started.

    The limit he set himself, before the pressure started.

    What stops it here

    A limit chosen before you start is a rule that holds under pressure. It is why he lost $2,800 and not more.

    More about stage 04

  4. Stage 05

    Through a crypto exchange. His bank phoned to check.

    What stops it here

    When the bank phones about a payment, tell them who asked you to send it and why. Crypto sent to a stranger cannot be pulled back.

    More about stage 05

  5. Stage 06

    Pressure to put in more. Then the phone went dead.

    What stops it here

    Taking a small amount out tests nothing. These scams pay the first withdrawal back to win the next deposit.

    More about stage 06

Sudbury, Ontario · December 2023

“If you send $20,000, your return is going to be $500,000”

Lost about $130,000

Richard, 76, a widower, clicked on an ad on Twitter and put in $250. A call came right away, promising returns he was told were certain, and pressing him to move quickly.

“If you send $20,000, your return is going to be $500,000… the investment window is short.”

What the scammers told Richard

He sent $20,000 at a time. He cashed in a life insurance policy and took out a loan. Over five months he lost about $130,000. His bank had tried to warn him. When he asked to withdraw his money, the scammers advised against it.

His son Andrew set up his phone so only known numbers ring through. A fundraiser raised more than $77,000 from more than 2,600 people. “My faith in people has been restored,” Richard said.

CTV News, 21 December 2023. “Sudbury senior loses life savings after clicking on social media ad”

Step by step, and what stops each one

  1. Stage 01

    An ad on Twitter, and $250 to start.

    What stops it here

    His son set the phone so only saved numbers ring through, afterwards. Done before, the follow-up call goes to voicemail.

    More about stage 01

  2. Stage 03

    A call right away: certain returns, and a window closing.

    What stops it here

    A promised return and a deadline together are the mark of this scam. Real investments carry risk, and none of them close in a day.

    More about stage 03

  3. Stage 04

    $20,000 at a time, from a life insurance policy and a loan.

    What stops it here

    Cashing in insurance or borrowing to invest is the point to stop and phone the one person you agreed on, before the money moves.

    More about stage 04

  4. Stage 06

    When he asked to withdraw, they advised against it.

    What stops it here

    Ask to withdraw the whole balance. A real firm sends it; a scam finds a reason why now is a bad time.

    More about stage 06

  5. Stage 07

    His son: “Call your parents.”

    What stops it here

    Andrew’s advice works both ways: “let them know to call you if they feel unsure about something.” Say it to your parent, or ask your children to say it to you.

    More about stage 07

London, Ontario · December 2020

A last payment, and everything back on Monday

Lost $200,000

In the summer of 2020, Margaret, 78, put $500 into Bitcoin. From July to December, one transfer followed another, with representatives of different companies calling her. They installed software on her computer, they said, so she could watch the market.

On December 8 came the last request: “You’ve still got $20,000 sitting there… give that to me and I’ll give you your money back on Monday.” She woke to find her accounts empty.

“They took every penny… I’m shaking. I can hardly breathe.”

Margaret, 78

She had kept records of every transaction. Police told her to notify her banks.

CBC News, 24 December 2020. “London, Ont., woman loses $200K life savings in alleged scam”

Step by step, and what stops each one

  1. Stage 02

    $500 into Bitcoin.

    What stops it here

    The rule is the same for an investment as for an emergency: one call to the person you named, before the first payment.

    More about stage 02

  2. Stage 05

    Software installed “to show her the market”.

    What stops it here

    Software a caller asks you to install lets them see your screen and move your money. Say no, and hang up.

    More about stage 05

  3. Stage 06

    One transfer after another, July to December, and a last $20,000.

    What stops it here

    A promise to return everything once you send one more amount is the scam closing. Money that is really yours arrives with fees and tax already taken out.

    More about stage 06

  4. Stage 07

    Empty accounts, and records she had kept.

    What stops it here

    Her records were the right instinct. Write the timeline down, then ring the bank’s fraud line, local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

    More about stage 07

Guelph, Ontario · January 2024

He lost $750,000. Then someone offered to get it back.

Lost $12,000 more

A man in his sixties had already lost $750,000 to a cryptocurrency scam. Then someone contacted him offering to recover it.

He was asked to download an app and create an account. The app gave the scammers control of his phone, and $12,000 more was taken.

“Be aware of who you’re speaking to, be suspicious… of people who contact you.”

Guelph police

CBC News, 15 January 2024. “Guelph man scammed out of thousands of dollars for the 2nd time”

Step by step, and what stops each one

  1. Stage 05

    An app that gave control of his phone.

    What stops it here

    An app someone else asks you to download can hand them your phone. Install nothing at a stranger’s request, however helpful the reason.

    More about stage 05

  2. Stage 07

    An offer to recover what was lost.

    What stops it here

    Anyone who contacts you about the loss is running the second scam. Ask: did this come to me, or did I go to them?

    More about stage 07

Do this beforehand

Each of these accounts showed money growing until the moment it was gone.

Lynn set a limit before he started, and lost $2,800 instead of everything. Choose your limit now, and look up anyone who offers to invest for you at AreTheyRegistered.ca before the first payment.

Why scammers pass every checkAnd the one thing they cannot fake: how you are asked to pay.Why a scam never stops at one paymentFees before a withdrawal, and the rule that ends it.More real storiesOther kinds of scam, each told the same way.