Truth or Fraud

Truth or Fraud Fraud is a global concern. Countries face both internal and international fraudsters.

The best way to fight fraud is to learn more about it so that it can be recognized.

01/25/2026

Fraud isn’t accidental — it’s intentional deception meant to steal money, property, or safety. Anyone can become a victim, and there’s no shame in speaking up. Reporting fraud gives authorities the information they need to investigate, build cases, and prevent repeat offenders from targeting others

Yet fraud reporting in Canada remains low. So what is fraud? When should we report it, and how do we report it?

For more information, check out truthorfraud.ca

03/03/2025

March is Fraud Prevention Month. Organizations and Associations are working to inform the public about fraud prevention.

Fraud takes all forms and can be a primary or secondary crime. Here are some ways you can prevent fraud.

- Protect your personal information, including your tax ID, birthdate and other personally identifiable information.
-Hide your PIN when using debit or credit cards, check activity on the cards frequently, and report any unrecognized charges to the issuing institution.
-Beware of the tactics fraudsters like to use: Pressure, exclusivity, and high or fast returns on investment.
- Don't believe everything you see, read, or hear. AI can mimic voices, change images, and make up facts.
- Never pay for access to grant funds.
- Gift cards are not ways to pay debt.
- Law enforcement will not send you a fine by text message.
- If your gut is telling you something's not right, TRUST your gut.

Report all fraud to your local law enforcement.

For more information about fraud and fraud prevention, go to Truthorfraud.ca.

02/24/2025

I just saw a fake article from what appears to be the Toronto Star, claiming that Canada was launching a Canadian digital currency. IT IS FAKE.

How do I know this? Here's a list of reasons.

1. The site is not the Toronto Star
2. The image has been altered by AI
3. The promised rewards are inflated and will not happen.
4. The claim in the article that the link provided is "exclusive."
5. The countdown timer on the linked site that says you only have so many minutes to invest.

All of these are red flags that indicate fraud.

Check out TruthorFraud.ca for more information about fraud.

11/26/2024

The holiday shopping season is here, and with it comes the opportunity for fraud to spoil our holidays. Here are some ways to ensure that the gifts you're giving are what you expect.

Check out TruthorFraud.ca for more fraud prevention information.

11/18/2024

November 17-23, 2024 is International Fraud Awareness Week. There are many myths and misunderstandings about fraud. Watch as Judoca explains the truth about fraud. Check out truthorfraud.ca, acfe.com, and fraudweek.com for more information about how you can protect yourself from fraud.

10/08/2024

We understand third-party fraud, but do we recognize first-party fraud? The cost of fraud includes first-party fraud, and the cost is alarming.

09/26/2024

We would like to believe that all fraudsters are unknown to us. They are suspicious characters who live in another city or country. And while this is often true, sometimes the fraudster is much closer than we would like to think.

If a friend offers to let you in on an investment or gives you a hot tip about a stock, take the time to do the same due diligence you would do if it was a stranger giving you this information.

Do your due diligence before investing.

1) Check Sedar+; if the stock is on an Exchange, there will be information that tells you about the company.

2) Check the provincial Investment Caution List. This is a list of investors identified by the government as posing a higher risk to investors.

3) Watch out for investments that have a short time frame for a decision to be made. If you are being pressured for a decision, that is a red flag.

4) If the return on your investment seems high, it is a red flag. Fraudsters often promise big returns to help convince people to buy their products.

Remember that red flags are a sign of caution. Take the time to do your due diligence before investing.

09/11/2024

Double-check that taxi before you get in; it may be a trap to steal your money! The taxi fraud scheme is making its rounds in Canada. As reported by CBC News earlier this week, it has been happening nationwide. Since June 2023, it has cost Torontarians alone over $1.7M.

Go to https://truthorfraud.ca/the-fake-taxi-scheme-is-back/ for more information.

09/05/2024

Even though frauds happen in many ways, they often share similar red flags. Seeing these red flags in emails, text messages, investment opportunities and other areas does not always mean that something is a fraud scheme.

Red flags are signals that you need to take a step back and do more research before taking action on an opportunity.

While there are some red flags that many would quickly recognize as fraud, like being told that you have unexpected charges on a credit card you don't have, red flags are not typically that blatant. Red flags are more about generalities than specifics. Instinct, pressure, opportunity, and possible outcomes are some examples.

We all have some instinct—that funny feeling we get when things just seem wrong, but we don't know quite what the problem is. That is a red flag. It may be nothing, but you don't know that in the heat of the moment. If your instinct tells you something is wrong, listen to it. Take a step back from the situation and determine why your instincts are saying something is off. Then, decide if your instinct is being extra cautious or if you should be walking away.

Pressure is a typical red flag of fraud. Often, the pressure is time-related, but it can also be the pressure to help a loved one in need. The idea is to create an internal or external motivator that forces you to act quickly. The faster you respond, the less likely you are to have consciously thought about what is happening and the more likely you are to comply with the fraudster's request.

Opportunity is another red flag. If a "bad actor" knows that you have three kids in sports, they are more likely to use a sports scheme to defraud you. Why? Because they know that this is something important to you. How do they know that about you? The basketball hoop in your driveway, the bumper stickers on your car, the posts you make and like on social media.

Possible outcomes are red flags. When an investment has an uncommonly high rate of return for the market, or you have received a prize you didn't enter for, those are red flags. If the reward for your action is not in line with what you would expect from any other similar action, you need to take a step back and reassess.

Remember that not all red flags mean stop, but they should all be seen as warnings.

For more information on red flags of fraud, go to www.truthorfraud.ca.

08/27/2024

Fraud is not new; in fact, many of the fraud schemes that we see active today have been used successfully in the past. Fraudsters recognize that as the world is focused on grandparent schemes, they can run an advance fee scheme or CRA scheme. Sometimes, it is impossible to keep up.

Over the last six months, there have been many news articles about fraud or case outcomes. I have read about investment fraud, ineffective laws, insurance fraud, and asset misappropriation.

However, in late July, I read an article about an extortion scheme in BC. Victims received text messages and emails from a "hit man" threatening harm if money wasn't paid. As with most fraud schemes, the "hit man" scheme is not new. It first appeared around 2006.

If you receive a message of this type, report it to the police immediately. Do not respond to the message. Do not send money in any form (i.e., bitcoin, e-transfer, credit card, gift card, bank draft). The fraudster wants to scare you into action - don't fall for it.

For more interesting articles about fraud in Canada, go to truthorfraud.ca and check out "In the News".

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