Here’s how to recognize and report a scam.

Don’t be fooled! We are seeing an increasing number of investment scams and deceptive articles mentioning the Bank online on social media. We never give financial advice, offer investment products to individuals or ask for your personal details. If you see a scam, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Recognizing a scam

As Canada’s central bank, the Bank of Canada:

  • does not accept deposits from or on behalf of individuals
  • does not request the transfer of funds or payments from individuals
  • does not get involved in or partner with companies or individuals in investment schemes
  • does not collect personal or financial information from individuals through email or by telephone
  • does not request personal or financial information through social media messaging applications
  • does not sell or issue any form of cryptoasset

The Bank’s employees and officers:

  • do not request personal or financial information by telephone, email or through social media messaging applications
  • do not participate in any internet-based communications that request information or payment for services

Reporting a scam

Take the following steps if you have concerns about the contents of any call or internet-based communication that purports to be from the Bank or about the Bank’s involvement in any investment scheme or suspicious activity:

  • Delete the email or message after contacting your local authorities.
  • Do not follow links. Access the Bank’s website by typing the URL yourself—https://www.bankofcanada.ca—and look for references to the program identified in the email.
  • Call our Public Information Office at 1‑800‑303‑1282 (toll-free in North America), or send us an with details of the scam.
  • Optionally, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

If you suspect your information may have been compromised, you may also wish to take precautionary measures to safeguard financial and personal information online, such as:

  • updating any passwords for credit cards, financial or other accounts
  • enabling multi-factor authentication on all accounts online
  • monitoring your financial and personal online accounts for any unusual activity
Counterfeit Prevention: Learn why it’s important to check your bank notes, how to report suspected counterfeits, and what the Bank of Canada is doing to fight counterfeiting.
Content Type(s): Press, Announcements