Laurentian Bank: Laurentian Bank of Canada.
Interac e-Transfer is a registered trademark of Interac Corp. Used under licence.
Consumer and retail transaction fraud.
Consumer and retail transaction fraud.
Scams such as these involve purchases, deliveries or online marketplaces.
Type of consumer and retail transaction fraud.
Too good to be true offer scam.
A too good to be true offer scam is a type of fraud where scammers lure people with deals or opportunities that promise unusually high rewards for little effort or cost. These offers often claim guaranteed profits, luxury prizes, deep discounts or exclusive access. All things that seem irresistible but are unrealistic.
Scammers typically create urgency and pressure victims to pay fees, share personal information or select malicious links before the victim can confirm the offer. Once the victim agrees, the scammer disappears, delivers nothing or continues asking for more money.
Types of fraud:
Fake investment opportunities promising fast, risk-free returns
Prize or lottery winnings that need processing fees upfront
Deeply discounted products from fake or cloned websites
Job offers that pay unusually high wages for minimal work
What to watch out for:
Guaranteed returns or zero risk
Requests for small initial deposits (e.g., $250) to build trust, followed by pressure to invest more based on fake “profits,” and demands for fees/taxes to withdraw funds—or an abrupt end to communication once a withdrawal is requested
Pressure to act quickly
Unexpected contact (e.g., a contest you didn’t enter or a job you didn’t apply for)
Requests to keep it secret
Requests for payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfer
Spelling mistakes, generic greetings or weird sender addresses
Examples:
“Get your FREE gift today—just cover shipping!”
“Start with just $250—see how fast your investment grows!”
“Your balance is now $12,500! Deposit more now to maximize your returns.”
“Act now or you’ll miss out”
“Don’t tell anyone about this”
How to protect yourself:
Stop before you act, especially if you feel excited, scared or rushed
Search the offer online and add “scam” to the search
Contact the company directly using a known, legitimate website or phone number, not the information provided in the offer
As the saying goes: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Online sales platform scam.
On resale sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji and eBay, there are many fake buyers and sellers.
Buyers will pretend to want to buy an item from you, and will send you a payment, such as a fake Interac e-Transfer® request. This will give them access to your bank account. This technique is known as phishing.
Sellers will offer you an item at a discounted price and then disappear after receiving your electronic payment, without you receiving the item.
What to watch out for:
The buyer or seller offers to make payment before meeting, so that the item can be reserved.
The buyer or seller refuses to meet in a public place.
The buyer or seller wishes to use an unsecured payment method, such as an Interac e-Transfer payment with no security question, prepaid cards or cryptocurrencies.
The price is much lower than the market value.
How to protect yourself:
Opt for face-to-face transactions in a public place, with payment in cash.
Check the buyer's or seller's profile for reviews, when the profile was created, activity, etc.
Never share personal information, like your address or bank details.