First 24 Hours After Being Scammed — Canada
Sourced from Canadian federal statutes and official sources. Provincial information reflects each province's own legislation and court rulings. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Three jobs in parallel. Call your bank's fraud line — banks have internal anti-fraud rules under FCAC supervision; for credit cards, you have rights under the Bank Act + card-network chargeback rules. For our credit card chargeback dispute letter, see the link. Report to the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca. Preserve evidence.
Emergency: 911. CAFC: 1-888-495-8501.
When does it apply?
- Unauthorised debit / credit card transaction on your Canadian account.
- You were tricked into authorising a transfer (impersonation — CRA, RCMP, bank, courier).
- An OTP or banking credential was disclosed to a scammer.
- Online sale fraud (Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace).
- Investment / crypto scam.
- SIM-swap fraud.
- Sextortion / NCII.
What to Do in the First Day After Being Scammed
- Call your bank's fraud line.
- Report to CAFC at 1-888-495-8501. Feeds national pattern intelligence; reports route to local police.
- For credit card unauthorised transactions, request chargeback through your card issuer. Card-network rules require chargeback consideration within 120 days for most credit card disputes.
- For identity theft, place fraud alerts with Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada credit bureaus.
- Preserve evidence.
- Change passwords; switch to authenticator-app 2FA.
- Write a one-page timeline. Bank reference, CAFC report number, police report number. OBSI escalation will ask for them.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't share OTP / banking credentials with anyone.
- Don't pay 'recovery agents' upfront. CAFC repeatedly warns these are themselves scams.
- Don't delete WhatsApp / SMS evidence.
- Don't miss the OBSI 180-day clock from the bank's final response.
About Scams, Fraud & Money Recovery in Canada
Canada's scam-recovery system runs across three institutions. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or 1-888-495-8501 is the central reporting hub — operated jointly by RCMP, Competition Bureau Canada, and the Ontario Provincial Police. Reports feed pattern intelligence and the Fraud Reporting System; local investigation by RCMP / provincial police / municipal police. For credit-card chargebacks, federal protection under the Bank Act + card-network rules. For bank disputes, the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) handles complaints free for consumers; OBSI award cap was raised to CAD 350,000 from 1 November 2021 (subject to OBSI Terms of Reference). The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) supervises federally-regulated banks on consumer protection.
Emergency: 911. CAFC: 1-888-495-8501.
Common Questions
What is CAFC?
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is the national central agency for fraud reporting and intelligence, operated jointly by RCMP, Competition Bureau Canada, and the Ontario Provincial Police. Reports feed national pattern analysis; investigation happens at the local police level. Filing creates the formal national-level record.
What's the OBSI clock?
OBSI accepts complaints after the customer has received the bank's final response (typically within 56 days under the Bank Act consumer-complaint framework). The customer has 180 days from the bank's final response to file with OBSI.
Can I get the bank to refund unauthorised transactions?
For credit-card unauthorised transactions, the card-network chargeback framework typically allows refund within 120 days. For debit-card unauthorised transactions, the voluntary Canadian Code of Practice for Consumer Debit Card Services sets liability limits (customer not liable for unauthorised use absent gross negligence in protecting PIN). For authorised-but-induced transfers, recovery depends on bank discretion + OBSI; Canada does not have a UK-style mandatory APP fraud reimbursement regime.
What about credit-report fraud alerts?
Both Canadian credit bureaus (Equifax Canada, TransUnion Canada) accept consumer-placed fraud alerts free. The alert tells creditors to take extra steps to verify identity before approving new credit. Lasts six years if you've experienced identity theft. Our identity theft dispute letter covers the related credit-report cleanup.
What is the first 24 hours after being scammed right in Canada?
Three jobs in parallel. Call your bank's fraud line — banks have internal anti-fraud rules under FCAC supervision; for credit cards, you have rights under the Bank Act + card-network chargeback rules. For our credit card chargeback dispute letter, see the link. Report to the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca. Preserve evidence.Emergency: 911. CAFC: 1-888-495-8501.
When does first 24 hours after being scammed apply?
Unauthorised debit / credit card transaction on your Canadian account.You were tricked into authorising a transfer (impersonation — CRA, RCMP, bank, courier).An OTP or banking credential was disclosed to a scammer.Online sale fraud (Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace).Investment / crypto scam.SIM-swap fraud.Sextortion / NCII.
What should I do immediately after being scammed in Canada?
Call your bank's fraud line.Report to CAFC at 1-888-495-8501. Feeds national pattern intelligence; reports route to local police.For credit card unauthorised transactions, request chargeback through your card issuer. Card-network rules require chargeback consideration within 120 days for most credit card disputes.For identity theft, place fraud alerts with Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada credit bureaus.Preserve evidence.Change passwords; switch to authenticator-app 2FA.Write a one-page timeline. Bank reference, CAFC report number, police report number. OBSI escalation will ask for them.
What mistakes should I avoid with first 24 hours after being scammed?
Don't share OTP / banking credentials with anyone.Don't pay 'recovery agents' upfront. CAFC repeatedly warns these are themselves scams.Don't delete WhatsApp / SMS evidence.Don't miss the OBSI 180-day clock from the bank's final response.